Another brilliant home crowd witnessed a thoroughly entertaining bonus point win for Mowden at the Darlington Arena, against a visiting Rossendale RFC, who were one of the promoted teams from last season.

The last time Mowden played the visitors was back in the 2012/13 season and there Marl Pits HQ was always a difficult venue, where former players included the tough and uncompromising South African lock Tim Fourie, whose son Ethan played in the back row for Rossendale RFC in Saturday’s defeat.

With only 2 wins in this early part of the season, Rossendale were certainly ‘up’ for the game and with some solid citizens in their pack in the mould of Mr Fourie senior, they had not arrived just to make up the numbers.

In fact it was the visitors who first registered, when full back Dan Hollan, slotted a simple penalty after only four minutes. (0 – 3)
The Mowden response was swift after a similar amount of time after, when winger Shaun McCARTNEY, after a deft chip through by fly half Flynn WARD, the ball found its way to McCARTNEY, who scorched into the corner for the try ( 5 – 3) with the conversion from wide out by WARD. (7 – 3)

Again, after another 4 minutes of play, the visitors fought back, when their fly half Terry Babarinsa, who ultimately proved to be an elusive individual all afternoon, went over the home try line near to Mowden’s posts (7 – 8), with the afters easily supplied by full back Holland (7 – 10)

Rossendale were reduced to 14, when winger Rokotamana Davui was adjudged to have made no attempt to tackle home centre Callum MACKENZIE, but instead literally flinging himself at the home player, injuring himself in the process, but after attention, deemed fit by the referee to receive the yellow card.

Rossendale’s woes were further exacerbated when their flanker Nick Fontaine was also yellow carded soon afterwards, victim of his sides persistent offside when Mowden were attacking in the red zone.

There was a certain amount of inevitability about what followed, as Mowden exploited their numerical advantage, running in four tries before oranges, to literally end the visitors hopes of any recovery.

First, it was hard working centre MACKENZIE who registered after (12 – 10), with FLYNN assuredly finding the target with the afters (14 – 10) and this was almost immediately followed up by his centre partner Liam CHECKSFIELD (19 – 10), again converted by FLYNN (21 – 10), as matters appeared to get increasingly worrying for Rossendale.

After a brief respite for Rossendale with a solitary penalty from Holland. (21 – 13), the rout continued, as they went further behind, when firstly home lock Luke COULSTON registered with another try (26 – 13), backed up with FLYNN’S conversion. (28 – 13) Secondly, so as not to be outdone by his second row partner, Adam SCOTT ripped the ball from a would-be Rossendale attacker, running fully half the pitch to dot down in the corner, leaving visiting defenders floundering, on his first game of the season (33 – 13). Again the metronomic WARD registered with the afters. (35 – 13)

So it was a shell-shocked Rossendale side who wearily trudged into the stalls at the break, whilst in contrast, the interval came at the wrong time for Mowden, as they seemed focused on adding to their tally, not wanting it to be time for oranges.
This was born out early doors after the break, when Mowden initially failed to maintain their superiority, which galvanised Rossendale, who defended valiantly for the next ten minutes, with some stern defence.

However, this was temporary, as Mowden ran in a further 3 tries from Shaun McCARTNEY (40 – 13), not converted by FLYNN, then No. 8 Jacob BUTTERILL, followed by full back Rueben DYER, both converted by FLYNN. (54 – 13) during which time Rossendale wing Toka Cama received a red card for a tip tackle.

All credit to Rossendale they scored 2 consolation tries late on to reduce the deficit, both converted, leaving a final score of 56 – 27.

MOTM - Flynn Ward

A trip to Humberside next week as Mowden visit the Grantingham Park HQ of Hull Ionians RFC

COME ON PARK!