Heywood 14 Rochdale 35

Record that has stood for twenty-one years was broken at Heywood on Saturday when nineteen-year-old Carl Lewis scored a try and five conversions to secure the club record for the most points in a season with 285 points. It was only right that club coach Richard Burgess the previous holder was on hand and was the first to congratulate the youngster on his achievement.

The game itself was not a classic even though Rochdale scored some good tries, at times they were once again trying to force the pace resulting in the ball going to ground.

Heywood are already relegated and it was a matter of damage limitation with Rochdale from the outset showing they had dominance in most areas. Both sides tested one another in the opening stages but it was Rochdale who got on the scoreboard with a superb move down the blindside from sixty yards out; scrum half James Darby got the ball away quickly Carl Lewis put winger Dean Campbell away down the wing, some slick passing in a sea of players saw Lewis emerge from the melee to score near the posts.

Rochdale went back on the attack but had difficulty in breaching the Heywood defence, some indifferent passing saw chances go begging and it took a solo effort by Mike Bradwood to break the deadlock, he picked up at the base of the scrum and broke on the open side and crashed through the halfbacks to score near the posts.

Rochdale took their foot off the pedal and paid the penalty, Heywood came back on the offensive and with some good work by their forwards they sucked the Rochdale defence in and quickly moved the ball out right where they had a glaring overlap to score well out.

The sides went in at half time with Rochdale leading by fourteen points to seven and coach Richard Burgess was not happy.

The second half was a little better, particularly when Rochdale got the ball out wide where time and again they opened up the Heywood defence only to see scoring chances go astray. Eventually Rochdale got Aaron Porter away down the wing to race in from 30yards out.

A string of penalties saw heywood get to the Rochdale line and despite some resolute defence they forced a score near the posts to put them once again seven points adrift.

Rochdale upped the tempo and took the game by the scruff of the neck, a smart move down the right wing saw Lewis hit winger Dean Campbell with a well timed pass to cross well out. Lewis slotted a beauty.

In the closing stages a mistake by the Heywood lineout saw the ever-alert Ross Hartley snap up the ball and scamper over near the posts. Lewis rounded off his day with five out of five.

Rochdale play Lymm at Bamford on Saturday for the last match of the season when Lewis will have the opportunity to increase his record.