Browse Sections

• Rochdale FC
• Rochdale Hornets
• Local football
• Local cricket

Boro bury Ashton hopes

Jonathan Greaney
21/ 9/2004

Rugby Union
Littleborough 22
Ashton 8

A FIERY match at Rakewood saw an under-par Littleborough secure victory despite a rough-and-tough display from Ashton.

With the referee making use of his cards - including a red for one of the visiting players - Boro squandered many golden opportunities to score.

The first score arrived when man-of-the-match Shepherd sent Mark Ellidge in between the posts.

Then, from a quick tap-penalty deep in the home side's half, good work from Mill set Kolinsau sprinting down the touchline for a great try.

Just as the game was threatening to go flat, up popped Komai to sell a couple of dummies and shoot through a tired visiting defence.

The second half was much the same story, with Boro still playing one-man rugby.

From a deep kick by Ashton and knock-on by Maxey, a scrum left Boro short on the blind side for their winger to go in unchallenged. Shortly after they kicked a three-pointer.

Thoughts of a comeback were put to rest when Kolinsau chipped over the defence for Komia to race in to seal victory.

Just before the final whistle, a great team move sent Kolinsau clear. He looked certain to score, but ran over the dead ball line.

"In a sense it has done us good this afternoon and brought us back down to earth," said player-coach Lee Durrant. "It's showed us we can't go out every week and shove 50 points past teams.

"We played badly but still won and that's what it's all about. On the plus side, Collins, Shepard and Bairstow were fantastic in the loose, Mill put some huge hits on his opposite centre and Kolbeck played admirably against his old team."