New Brighton are beaten 28-6 at Rochdale

Mar 18 2009 by Our Correspondent, Birkenhead News

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NEW BRIGHTON, with a makeshift line-up put up a creditable display against North Two West leaders Rochdale but were always fighting a losing battle.

The Blues were forced to make eight changes from the previous week with forward Paul Lewis again fulfilling an emergency role at stand-off.

Obviously some of their play was a little disjointed but all credit to the effort put in by the reserves, some of whom only knew they were playing a few hours before kick-off.

It was 10-3 at the half-way stage with Rochdale gaining a converted try and a penalty and full-back Jim Yarranton landing one kick for Brighton.

Yarranton was on the mark again in the second period but Rochdale kept the scoreboard ticking with two more penalties themselves and two last quarter tries, one of which was converted.

It was an eighth reverse for the Hartsfield side and finally end any hopes of a top two finish as they dropped to sixth place in the table.