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Broughton Park 24 - 0 Rochdale

1/ 4/2008

ROCHDALE were well beaten by an average Park side which adapted to the conditions better than the visitors.

Park held on to possession for long periods, while Rochdale consistently spilled the ball in the tackle.

The home side started with the wind at their backs, and it quickly become obvious the game was going to be played at one end of the ground, as the softest of kicks drifted 40 or 50 yard on the wind.

A penalty saw Park take an early lead, and they kept Rochdale under severe pressure.

The visitors’ defence held firm until Park knocked on 10 yard out, unseen by the official. Rochdale took their eye off the ball and Park swept forward to score in the corner. A second score soon followed.

The Park out-half and centre misjudged a set move and finished up crossing each other and obstructing the Rochdale defence. The official hesitated and then allowed play to go on. Park took advantage, moved the ball out wide, and scored in the corner

Park scrum-half Steve Elliot ran the game and relished the conditions. His probing runs around the fringes caused the Rochdale defence a lot of trouble, and when he set up the last try, to give Park a 21-point lead by half time, he had sealed up the game.

The second half was much the same as the first except that the Park defence stuck to their task and defended well.

Rochdale had a couple of gold-plated chances which they failed to convert, the final pass going to ground.

Jonathan Rhodes and Gary Adams were the pick of the Rochdale pack which really didn’t show any aggression until the last 20 minutes.