The Sharks made the visitors work hard for every point during the first 40 minutes, complacency and forcing the ball during the second 40 saw the Marauders completion rate drop dramatically.

Moorends dominated the early exchanges with Dean Armstrong and Ryan Rafferty playing behind a pack full of strong runners; Rossington dug deep to repel the Marauders with big hits coming in from Tom Lyons and
Barry Richardson.

Mark Roach opened the Rossington defence on 6 minutes when he jumped from a quick play the ball to give Alex Palmer a beautiful short ball before crashing over in the corner.

Neil Storey pulled a penalty goal back four minutes later when Brendan Neal was charged with stealing the ball.

Chris Allen was at the heart of everything as the Marauders started to make their angled running count; breaking a three-man tackle on 14 minutes, the strong running loose-forward sent his supporting scrum-half Ryan Rafferty in under the posts for a try he converted himself.

Chris Allen again broke the Sharks defensive line on 21 minutes; this time it was Mark Roach who benefited from his gilt-edge passing to step Mick Quinn before going over next to the posts, Ryan Rafferty converted for 2-16.

Rossington were rewarded for a short period of dominance when the Marauders defence got themselves in a muddle from what looked like a harmless situation, Shaun Archer crossed and Neil Storey converted.

Moorends bombed a real chance to extend their lead when Shaun Carver scattered the defence in front of him and then sent a bad ball out to Wayne Green who would have only needed to fall over if he could have held the ball.

Chris Housley and Jason Blanchard made great yardage before Wayne Green recovered a bad ball to force himself over in the corner on 31 minutes.

The Moorends forwards were looking tireless tacklers in defence with Gaz Everton, Gav Millward, Roger McClean and Gaz Munro all standing out; the solid tackling forced the home team into a kicking game which both Andy Smeaton and Wayne Southgate did with pin-point attacking kicks that included bombs, chips, and grubbers.

The Marauders never looked like breaking with Chris Housley, Jason Blanchard, Adam Lloyd and Wayne Green looking very dangerous when returning the ball.

It was from a Adam Lloyd return and quick play the ball that set up Dean Armstrong to jump the slow defence before sending Ben Hoffman crashing through, Hoffmann found the supporting Armstrong before receiving the ball back to walk over for a try converted by Ryan Rafferty.

At half time the score stood at Rossington Sharks 8, Moorends-Thorne Marauders 26.

On the resumption Marauders took a firm grip, Gav Millward carried the ball well into the Sharks territory before sending Brendan Neal through only to be brought down 20 metres out, Ryan Rafferty, Chris Allen and Mark Roach linked to send Shaun Carver thundering onto the ball squatting off defenders before going over for a try on 46 minutes.

Rossington were playing on the back foot now with the Marauders being very dominant in every department. This however, could have been the undoing of the visitors as they started to try and make passes that they would not have usually tried, resulting in less completed sets of six.

Wayne Green used his experience to steady the ship and keep the scoreboard ticking over with a 56 minute drop goal from 30 metres out.

Mark Roach fielded the kick off on his own try line; starting on his run he went the full length of the field showing all his footwork skills to breach the Sharks defence before winning the footrace into the corner, Ryan Rafferty converted.

Rossington came under siege from the Marauders, but excellent last ditch tackles by veteran second row Barry Richardson and Tom Lyons kept them at bay, in attack it was the kicking options of Wayne Southgate and Andy Smeaton that was the biggest threat.

The final score of the game came the Marauders' way, with the ball being moved to the right Tom Brandham found Wayne Green on the touch line who got round Barwick and then stood the Sharks cover defence up when he went inside and then back to the outside to outpace everyone to the try line, Ryan Rafferty converted, 8-43.

Moorends are away at Rotherham Giants on Saturday, June 7, transport leaves Moorends Social at 12.30pm.

Moorends Merit team are at home against South Humber Rabbitohs, kick off 2pm, players meet 12.30pm.