8:26pm Sunday 5th September 2010
By Nick Patterson
Bradford & Bingley 35, Rossendale 19
The Bees overcame a bad start to kick off their campaign with a victory as they aim to bounce back to National Two at the first attempt.
An opening fixture against one of the other fancied sides in the division was a good test of the Wagon Laners’ ambitions.
Yet in the opening 15 minutes, the talk of promotion looked completely fanciful as the visitors completely dominated.
It took three minutes for Rossendale to open the scoring as prop Leighton Taylor blasted over from a line-out.
The shell-shocked Bees were further rattled by an easy score out wide on the right. At 12-0, Rossendale looking every bit the promotion contenders whereas the hosts looked forlorn.
However, as the clock ticked into the second quarter something suddenly jolted the home side into life. There was suddenly a zip and a purpose to everything that coaches Nic Corrigan, Stuart Dixon and Ronnie Kelly were asking their men to do.
On 23 minutes, wing man Adam Sutcliffe opened the home side’s account following tremendous approach work up the right-hand touchline.
The Bees’ increasing dominance was reflected by two more scores before half-time as Richard Hughes and then Guy Ford crossed the whitewash.
The Wagon Laners were now on top and half-time provided welcome respite for the visitors.
Rossendale came out for the second half looking brighter and were immediately rewarded with a score but their brief moment of glory was soon forgotten as the home pack re-established the upper hand.
A fourth home score from Sutcliffe wrapped up a convincing victory, although the Bees will not want to remember the jittery opening 15 minutes.
Gavin Stead scored three conversions and three penalties for the hosts.
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