The Foresters travelled to a wet and greasy Dore to take on the Tigers in their own backyard.
An earlier than anticipated kick off caught a number of the travelling supporters out. They were to miss out on an eventful opening to the game.
Tigers had a player sent to the sin bin from the kick off after a high tackle. Matters got worse for our hosts as the Greens scored two tries to set the tone for the day.
The first score was by number eight, Ollie Bullock, out wide and the second by the influential Andy Rhodes playing at inside centre, putting Dale 0-12 up.
The Green’s looked to be on top up front allowing their halfbacks to dictate play. Using the slope they either kicked for territory or used their quick outside backs to make more ground. This varying mixture of attacking play was stressing the Tigers’ team, in particular their pack. They were struggling in the set piece and having to work hard to stay in the game. Any go forward Tigers got was shut down by great tackling and an appetite for defence.
Around the 25th minute, Dale had a scrum on the halfway line, in the centre of the pitch. The Foresters went right with an 8 – 9 move from the base of the scrum, this tore a big hole in the defence. The covering defence was drawn and right wing Brad Viner finished off a well worked try under the posts. The try was converted by Andy Rhodes to take the score to 0-19.
Dale kept exerting pressure on the opposition who were loosing players to injuries. Despite this Tigers cleared the ball deep into Dale’s 22. The Tiger’s backline, who themselves were not short of pace, chased well. Dale failed to find touch from a clearance. Tigers took advantage and their outside backs scored in the left corner. Score 5-19.
Dale carried on with their varied attacking game. Just prior to halftime Dale won a lineout on the opposition’s 22 metre line on the left. From the clean lineout they went right and after several phase’s of direct play, centre Andy Rhodes crashed through the defence to score. The try scorer converted to make the score 5-26 at halftime.
After the break, we saw the welcomed return of Sam Gaudie at scrum half. Dale continued with their pressure and 3 minutes into the new half, the Tiger’s backline were unable to deal with a kick through, close to touch and the try line. The impressive Jimmy Howorth, who was having a fine game took advantage and scored in the corner. An excellent conversion from the touch line by Andy Rhodes took the score to 5-33.
In the 47th minute with The Foresters in charge, they were awarded a scrum on the host’s 22 metre line, wide left. From the ensuing scrum Dale went right and put the ball through the backs hands. Tigers pressed well but were caught cold by an excellent miss pass that allowed substitute winger Seb Eastell to score in the corner. Another excellent conversion from out wide made it 5-40.
The game went to uncontested scrums due to the injuries the Tiger’s team sustained. The game became scrappy and a stop start affair. The Tigers kept trying to play and scored a penalty try in the 65th minute after an attempted interception was deemed to be deliberate ( yellow card). The score was now 12-40 and Dale were down to 14 on the pitch.
Dale in the closing period played some attractive attacking rugby but were unable to finish. In a long phase of “last play” they continued with their attacking intent. Unfortunately with the back line involved in the attack a loose ball was kicked clear by Tigers. The bounce was favourable to the chasing Tigers who touched down under the posts.
Full time 19-40.
Team: –
- Altham
- Holden
- Hirst
- Borrill (c)
- Burton
- Heys
- Craven
- Bullock
- Cox
- Bell
- Bennett
- Rhodes
- Kaup-Samuels
- Viner
- Howorth
Replacements: –
- Whitehead
- Gaudie
- Eastell
- Brennan
- Sumner