Kirkby Lonsdale 22 - 17 Rochdale

STUARY Storey scored two tries and picked up the man-of-the-match award as Kirkby Lonsdale made it four wins in four with victory over Rochdale at Underley Park.

Winger Martyn Knapton opened the scoring after two minutes when he went scorching in down the right after the forwards had worked the ball back over the half way line and the backs created space for the run.

The kickable conversion was missed but Kirkby led 5-0.

If the visitors needed a wake up call that was it and they put together some good passages of play to pin Kirkby in their own half.

A charge was held on the home line and a turnover allowed a clearance kick to touch down the right.

Rochdale attacked again from their lineout working the ball down their back line to create an overlap to score down their right, kicking the conversion to take the lead after nine minutes.

The game swung back Kirkby’s way again only two minutes later when backs play had spread the Rochdale defence.

Full back Chris Ramwell hit the line at pace and weaved through what was left of the cover to score.

Centre Tom Pickthall kicked the conversion to restore the lead for the home side at 12-7.

Rochdale reduce the arrears with a penalty as the first half ended.

From the kick off the home side dominated play in the Rochdale half and a try arrived after just four minutes.

Storey put in a run at the line, there was cover and he seemed to be held but in typically abrasive fashion his strength and power carried him over by the left corner flag. The conversion from wide out slid by the right post but Kirkby had opened up a seven point lead.

It had been all Kirkby in third quarter and as it was drawing to a close they struck again.

Again it was Storey who delivered scoring his second and Kirkby’s fourth and bonus point try in similar fashion to his first.

Again the conversion from wide out was missed.

Into the last quarter and Rochdale crossed the half way line into what had been largely unexplored territory for them up to that point.

A number of attacking sequences took them towards the Kirkby line and when they moved the ball wide left they looked certain to score in the corner. All eyes were on the Rochdale winger going flat out for the corner when into shot came came Kirkby skipper, Ben Walker, taking out man - ball - the corner flag and anything else in the way in a magnificent try saving tackle.

The significance of that tackle was obvious a few minutes later when, as full time approached, the Rochdale forwards rumbled over for a converted try to close to 22 - 17 - but that was the final scoring action.

Kirkby: Jonas Thorsen, Matt Hoyland, Pablo Kwiczor, Leandro Kwiczor, David Cooper-Dunn, Stuart Storey, Lwazi Ngcungama , Craig Galbraith, Ben Walker, Tom Slater, David Bird, Jack Akrigg, Tom Pickthall, Martyn Knapton, Chris Ramwell.

Bench: Dan Armistead, Nick Edney, Harry Ralston