Rotherham Titans beat a spirited Lymm side 33-10 in a stop-start game on a windy afternoon at Clifton Lane which keeps them unbeaten after three games.
Titans’ tries came via JB Bruzulier, Zak Poole, Reece Ward, Dan Rundle and Laurence Cowan-Leak, with Lloyd Hayes adding 6 points from the tee and Will Milner 2.
It wasn’t the Titans at their best, but when you’re having an off-day if you end up winning with the bonus point, that as they say in Yorkshire – “Will do.”
Rotherham to be fair pretty much dominated throughout the game and got the board ticking on 12 minutes when scrum half JB Bruzulier sold a dummy close to the posts before diving over.
Lymm’s Cormac Nolan did notch a 3-pointer to reduce his side’s arrears, before Titans skipper Zak Poole scored a nice try in the corner after peeling round the blindside from a line out.
Before the break prop forward Reece Ward powered over following more impressive work from the Titans pack.
Two minutes into the second half Dan Rundle wrapped up the bonus point when he dotted down in the corner after receiving a crisp pass from Bruzulier.
Before the hour mark Roth extended their advantage when Cowan-Leak scored after more good work from the pack, which saw Lymm bullied off their own scrum close to the line.
However, rather than the home side going on to rack up a notable score in the final quarter, the only points scored from thereon came when Lymm’s Cal Morris touch down after some smart work from the scrum half.
Rotherham will now focus on preparing for the visit of Huddersfield to Clifton Lane on Saturday, where they will hope a more polished performance can be achieved.
Speaking after the game Titans head coach, Gary Pearce, said:
“I’m a bit disappointed to be honest, I thought we were a bit off at times, but you also have to give Lymm some credit because they tackled well and they got stuck in.
“But we had a lack of control with the ball at times and that was a bit disappointing; but we got the 5 points and the lads are entitled to have an off-day.
“Although we scored five tries, it could have been ten; but we’re only three games in and I’m sure our performances will improve.”
Referee: Gavin Jones
Attendance: 250
Yellow Card: None
Titans: Bruzulier (T), Poole (T), Ward (T), Rundle (T), Cowan-Leak (T), Hayes (3C), Milner (1C)
Lymm: Morris (T), Nolan (P, C)
Titans: 15 Jack Townend, 14 Dan Rundle, 13 Lloyd Hayes (Eissa 48), 12 Harry Dunne (Payne 76), 11 Tomasi Tanumi, 10 Will Milner, 9 JB Bruzulier, 1 Alex Pleasants (Capps 27), 2 Luke Cole (Bergmanas 48), 3 Gareth Denman (Ward 33) (Denman 52) (Ward 76), 19 John Okafor (Challinor 33), 5 Matt Smith, 6 Marcus Payne (Okafor 52), 7 Laurence Cowan-Leak, 8 Zak Poole (Capt.).
Replacements: 16 Jack Bergmanas, 17 Charlie Capps, 30 Reece Ward, 4 Matt Challinor, 20 Kareem Eissa.
Lymm: 15 Cormac Nolan, 14 Joe Senior (Jennings 78), 13 Stephen Pilkington, 12 James Kimber (Reynolds 71), 11 Paddy Jennings (Stride 61), 22 Jack Reynolds (Shard 54), 9 Cal Morris, 17 Gav Woods (Higgins 52) (Woods 71), 2 James Pitcher (Stewart 67), 3 Matthew Hand (Widdrington 33) (Hand 52), 4 James Yates (Capt.), 5 Ali Sutherland, 6 Sean Callender, 7 Joshua Hadland, 8 Rhys Lilly.
Replacements: 24 Jordan Widdrington, 16 Joe Higgins, 18 Alex Stewart, 19 Tom Shard, 20 Jack Stride.
Photo Credit: Gareth Siddons