Hornets hammered

Abstract

Makali Aizue, Scott Murrell, Phil Joseph, Iain Morrison and Gareth Morton also went over in the 66-16 hammering of the Hornets.

Morton's tackle forced a knock on that enabled Murrell and [Ben Fisher] to combine well for Makali Aizue to score his fifth of the season.

[Ben Cockayne] began his treble in the 63rd minute with the best try of the day. Morton broke free, Goddard carried the move forward before Morton finished well.

Hull Kr go into the second half of their league campaign six points clear of the chasing pack after their 22nd consecutive win at Rochdale.

Ben Cockayne led the 12-try rout with a hat-trick, while Byron Ford and David Tangata-Toa both scored twice.

Makali Aizue, Scott Murrell, Phil Joseph, Iain Morrison and Gareth Morton also went over in the 66-16 hammering of the Hornets.

Coach Justin Morgan praised his side for their professional attitude ahead of the game.

"I'm pleased with the win," Morgan told the Mail.

"We said at the start of the week that we wanted a professional attitude bearing in mind the time change and the travel.

"We hadn't won here in five or six years and Rochdale hadn't lost at home so we knew we needed to have a big performance.

"We needed to keep our heads and composure. Our support play was very good. We capitalised on the chances we made. We were inside their 30-metre line five times in the first half and we scored five times."

Rochdale moved the kick-off to 12.45 to allow fans to watch England's 1-0 win over Ecuador in the World Cup.

Officials at Spotland were also hoping they might have been able to catch their high-flying opponents off-guard.

But despite the early start, Rovers started the game like a house on fire holding possession for the opening five and a half minutes.

The only time Rochdale touched the ball was when Mark McCully restarted the game after Byron Ford's third minute try.

Rovers' first set of six ended with Ben Fisher's chip through for a 40/20.

From the resulting head and feed, Tommy Gallagher and Leroy Rivett went close before Ford went over for his 41st try in his 41st game. Morton missed the extras.

McCully's restart set Rovers off again with James Webster this time delivering an inch-perfect 40/20.

The kick showed just why Rovers were keen to extend Webster's contract until the end of the 2008 season.

However, Iain Morrison's error gave Rochdale their first possession of the game in the sixth minute.

Darren Abram's Hornets took the lead in the eighth minute from the first of three penalties conceded by Gareth Morton in the opening 20 minutes.

Phil Hasty, playing his fourth game against Rovers this season, scored under the posts from a run from dummy half. Kevin King converted for a 6-4 lead.

Rivett was denied a try in the 15th minute when it looked as though Damien Couturier was fouled in mid air gathering Scott Murrell's high kick.

Ref Ronnie Laughton judged Couturier's pass to Rivett was forward and awarded the scrum to the home side.

Midway through the half, Morton's obstruction was penalised.

King opted for the posts and evoked memories of the infamous Don Fox by missing a sitter of a penalty that would have closed the gap to two points.

Lee Doran then failed to score when he knocked on Hasty's chip through.

The kick struck the upright and forced a fumble from Doran.

Rovers then scored three tries in quick succession.

Morton's tackle forced a knock on that enabled Murrell and Ben Fisher to combine well for Makali Aizue to score his fifth of the season.

Doran was lucky to stay on the field after a deliberate punch on Ford in a tackle. A penalty was awarded from which Murrell went over.

He had Dwayne Barker to thank for the score after the sub broke free into Rochdale's territory.

Barker almost lost his shorts in the lead up but he offloaded to Murrell, who finished off in style.

The last act of the first half came courtesy of Phil Joseph who came on for Fisher.

Rovers forced a turnover and on the last tackle, Joseph ran from dummy half and dived over to score their 1,000th point of the season.

Rovers began the second half like they started the first, with a try.

This time Iain Morrison was the scorer. Murrell and Webster linked well for the back-row forward to score one of the easiest tries he'll ever score.

John Pickersgill reduced the arrears with Rochdale's second converted try, before Ford showed up at the party.

Murrell's chip looked to have been gathered by McCully, only for Ford to emerge with the ball and the try.

Morton missed the conversion but he was on target converting his own score in the 57th minute, after he took Murrell's pass 45 metres to the line.

Cockayne began his treble in the 63rd minute with the best try of the day. Morton broke free, Goddard carried the move forward before Morton finished well.

Three minutes later, Chris Giles scored from a Rochdale scrum to cut the deficit to 50-16.

In the 70th minute, Tangata-Toa doubled his account after a break from Couturier, Cockayne and Fisher.

Barker set the try up with a fine pass, but his game was curtailed with a dislocated finger moments later.

Cockayne completed his first hat-trick in the closing five minutes.

Jason Netherton set him up for the first, and then Fisher delivered a beautiful behind-the-back pass to the full-back who ran home from 45 metres.