Junior Colts win away at Rochdale

KLRUFC Junior Colts v Rochdale Junior Colts, away at Rochdale
This week our colts team were on the road again, this time to Rochdale. Building on last week, the mood was positive! However, by Friday night the squad had dwindled down to a bare 16 players with 5 injured or ill and 6 unavailable, it was going to be a tough ask of the lads. From an unbiased standpoint it’s pleasing to say the Kirkby Lonsdale colts lived up to their mantra of #stayinthefight (Fairy @commandorugbyschool - you would’ve been proud!)
From the pre-match preparation all the way to the post match celebrations the club, the parents and the coaches couldn’t have been any prouder of how the 16 players approached today.
Rochdale came out of the blocks rapidly, with Kirkby absorbing wave after wave of pressure. This could be the longest day for Kirkby Lonsdale, but the defiance of Parry, Ridding, Muldowney and Willoughby forced Rochdale backwards, striking forward Kirkby won a scrum 10 metres out from Rochdale’s try line, Raging Bull 8 Muldowney powered forward with Rochdale scrambling to hold him out, the mighty Holdsworth and Harrison retrieved the ball for Southey to spin out the ball for Gore and Derbyshire to unleash Ladell to score on debut. Tipping converted. Kirkby 7 up. Kirkby found themselves under the cosh again from a powerful and exciting Rochdale side, but brave work from Tipping, Ladell and Clayton retrieved the ball for Skelton-Montgomery and the die hard Derbyshire to hammer down the pitch, winning a penalty just over half way. Tipping added the points. 10-0. Kirkby Lonsdale then tried to play out the back on their own ball, a lose pass was intercepted by Rochdale, to score under the posts and an easy conversion. 10-7. Game on! Rochdale looked like they were coming back into it, but last years top gun Gore, from good work from Ridding, Clayton and Wray, engaged afterburners to run in under the posts, Tipping converted. 17-7. From the Rochdale kick-off, Kirkby put themselves under pressure with poor discipline in the break down and tackle, but the lads defended on their own line with real true grit. Tipping, Muldowney, Hopton and Southey combined with Stephens to unleash Gore to ghost his way past the Rochdale defence to score again. Tipping converted from a tight angle. 22-7.
Half time. Tired bodies trying to compose themselves the lads listened to Coaches Barker and Gore asking from composure and game management. However, Rochdale went into the next gear, scoring two tries within 5 minutes. 22-17. Kirkby’s defence was disjointed and flapping, a number of missed tackles and further indiscipline was letting Rochdale back into the game. But despite worried faces on the coaches and the supporters, the lads defied the Rochdale onslaught with some neat play, Hopton starting the fight back with a thumping tackle, and Wray running hard with Derbyshire, Willoughby and Parry. This created another chance, and with Southey passing his bullets to Ladell and Gore, Tipping went through to score and convert his own try. 31-17. From the kick-off Gore volleyed the return behind the Rochdale defence to score again to take the score to 36-17. Despite the score line Rochdale came back, but Kirkby Lonsdale held the line well, but Rochdale scored and further tackle in-discipline let Kirkby down. But again the battle cry from the lads was ‘No Retreat No Surrender’, Ladell covering at 9 and Clayton, our titanic winger, volunteered to go into the second row as Kirkby needed to shuffle the team. This set up the base for Ridding, Parry, Harrison, Holdsworth and Skelton-Montgomery to unleash several phases of play, Willoughby, Holdsworth and Stephens working hard in the breakdown to win a penalty.
The sublime Tipping shaped up to kick the penalty for a line out, but Russell-esque he chipped over the flat Rochdale defence, for the chariots of fire Gore to bust through and score again, Tipping converted. 43-22.
Rochdale never gave in and pressured Kirkby for the last 5 minutes, Ladell kicked out to close the game and another whole team defensive set.
Final score 43-22. Rochdale played a great game, and Kirkby Lonsdale played a counter attack game with pace, passion and aggression to win the day.
A proud moment for all involved. A whole team effort.
Next week we face Bury at home, Sunday 21 September, kick off 12.30pm.
Player of the Match: Evan Gore (as voted for by Rochdale players)