Match Report | Rochdale Hornets 32-18 Sheffield Eagles
19/04/2026
The Eagles were knocked out of the 1895 Cup 1st Round this afternoon after falling to a 32-18 defeat at Rochdale Hornets.
Craig Lingard’s side headed back across to Rochdale for the second time this season having previously visited last month, where we recorded a win in Round 4 of the Betfred Championship.
For the return to Rochdale, it was about getting a response for Lingard’s side as they looked to end a run of two games without a win.
Following last weekend’s visit to London, the Eagles were without the likes of Jack Bussey and Blake Broadbent, who missed out through injury.
Will Oakes made his return to the side, as Josh Hodson moved into the second row, whilst Marcus Green also came back onto the bench, in the absence of Reiss Butterworth.
As the Eagles looked to bounce back after back-to-back defeats, the Eagles needed a bright start in Lancashire, and they did exactly that as two scores inside the opening ten minutes through Billy Walkley, saw us go into a 10-0 lead.
After a promising start by Lingard’s side, the home side then found themselves back in the contest shortly after as tries through Ethan Wood and Dan Nixon saw them close the gap to only two points.
In a fairly-even first forty minutes, the Eagles did have a couple of chances to go further ahead, but some strong Rochdale defence saw us held over the line on a couple of occasions.
Ten minutes into the second half, Walkley crashed over for his hat-trick after a neat attacking move towards the left edge, to put us 14-8 ahead, but Dylan Kelly-Duffy went over for the hosts shortly after to level the score.
Lennis Ellis went close to putting the Eagles back ahead shortly after to the left of the posts, but three quick-fire scores by the home side saw them quickly go 32-14 ahead, as we approached the final nine minutes in Lancashire.
Ryan Millar scored late on for the Eagles with four minutes to go, but that would only prove to be a late consolation try as we bowed out of the 1895 Cup against Rochdale.
Our immediate attentions turn back to the Betfred Championship next Sunday when we welcome Salford R.L.F.C to the Steel City Stadium (3pm KO).
Rochdale: Flanagan, Boyd, Sheridan, Sa’u, Nixon, Dallimore, Hansen, Barratt, Whitmore, Dayes, Wood, Kelly-Duffy, Syme
Interchanges (all used): Waterworth, Metcalfe, Scriven, Coleman
18th Man: Paga
Tries: Wood (18’), Nixon (24’). Kelly-Duffy (58’, 67’), Sheridan (64’), Hansen (71’)
Goals: Flanagan 4/6
Sheffield Eagles: Brown, Millar, Gill, Oakes, Walkley, Ellis, Morgan, Matongo, Bowes, Reilly, Foster, Hodson, Griffin
Interchanges (all used): Johnson, Peachey, Beckett, Green
18th Man: Cooke
Tries: Walkley (4’ 9’, 50’), Millar (76’)
Goals: Morgan 1/4
Referee: R. Cox
