CHORLEY LYNX put in one of their best performances of the season against Rochdale Hornets.

With a bit more luck Lynx could have come away with a victory but injuries in the first half to Sarfraz Patel, Liam Jones and Simon Smith turned the game Rochdale's way.

After the game coach Graeme West said: "There were a lot of positive points to take out of the game but we still make errors in our own half which costs us tries. We need to close the door on the opposition after we score, but at the moment we always seem to concede a try shortly after.

"We were certainly restricted after the injuries to Patel, Jones and Smith, but we still competed well and this shows the strong team spirit that exists in the squad.

"It was difficult to pick any one player out for praise but Wayne Bloor, John Duffy, Chris Causey and Chris Ramsdale all had excellent games, while Tim Street led the pack well. Lynx started the game strongly and looked the better team in the early exchanges but they fell behind in the sixth minute when Paul Davidson showed excellent skill to unload the ball in the tackle to send in Latham Tawhai. Richard Agar added the conversion.

Worse was to follow for Lynx four minutes later when Rochdale showed how to keep the ball alive and Paul Smith was on hand to finish off the move with Agar adding another conversion.

Undeterred Lynx continued to dominate the game and they came close in the 16th minute but Eddie Kilgannon was bundled into touch by the corner flag. Lynx got their reward for some excellent rugby when John Duffy sent in Tim Street with Liam Jones adding the conversion.

Lynx were now firmly camped in the Rochdale half and another try came their way in the 25th minute when an outrageous dummy from Sarfraz Patel sent him clear and he managed to pass out of the tackle to John Duffy, who duly touched down, with another conversion from Liam Jones to level the scores.

Lynx's hopes were then cruelly hit when they lost Patel, Jones and Smith all within five minutes and Rochdale took full advantage with a try three minutes from the break from David Larder after good work from Paul Davidson, leaving Rochdale with a 16-12 half time advantage.

Rochdale eventually extended their lead in the 53 minute when a long pass from Richard Pachniuk found James Bunyan and he in turn sent in Shaun Cooper.

Lynx were back in touch in the 60th minute when a long pass from John Duffy found Eddie Kilgannon in space and he duly obliged with Paul Wilcock adding the conversion.

Three minutes later Lynx were hit with a sucker punch as Paul Davidson again showed his ball skills, this time to send in Richard Pachniuk with Danny Wood adding the conversion.

Lynx reduced the arrears ten minutes from time with a try from Alan Redcliffe.

But Rochdale sealed the game four minutes from time with a try from James Bunyan and conversion from Danny Wood.

Man of the match for Lynx was Wayne Bloor.

ROCHDALE HORNETS...32 CHORLEY LYNX...22