National League Three North: Rossendale 57 Cleckheaton 15

THIS was a game to forget for Cleckheaton, who weren't allowed to get into their stride by a dominant Rossendale.

The visitors did make headway in the early stages but every time they made a mistake, Rossendale capitalised.

The home team's large and speedy backline first finished off a long-range effort when Cleckheaton spilled possession 30 metres from Rossendale's line, and a few minutes later when Rossendale's pack turned over a Cleckheaton scrum on halfway.

As the match struck the 20-minute mark, the hosts were in again with another 50-metre plus effort from another Cleckheaton error.

George Peel got Rossendale's bonus-point try on 30 minutes, and Steve Nutt added his third conversion of the afternoon to give his team a commanding 26-0 lead.

Cleckheaton did hit back before half-time with Josh Hall collecting a chip and scoring in the corner, and then the returning Iain Gordon reduced the deficit to 26-8 with a penalty goal just before half-time.

The visitors were theoretically still in the game as the second period got underway but within minutes Rossendale won a five-metre scrum and their big pack edged their way over the whitewash for No 8 Ryan McKibbin to score.

Cleckheaton's No 8 and captain Richard Piper forced his way over to bring the scores to 31-15 with Gordon's conversion but this was the last time that they would trouble the scoreboard, despite a valiant effort.

Rossendale were simply too good, and with forthright determination, good awareness of space and the pace to finish, they went in for another four unanswered tries, bringing their total to nine on the day and a staggering 30 in the last three matches.