Lymm 38 Rossendale 19

LYMM head coach Adam Fletcher says going top of the National League Three North table does not mask the improvements they still need to make.

Fletcher’s side marked their first home game of the new season with victory over Rossendale on Saturday to make it two wins out of two.

However, the head coach said his side made too many mistakes and should have taken better advantage of the visitors being reduced to 14 men.

“In the past we would have been slapping ourselves on the back for this victory, but we need to be more consistent and more ruthless,” he said.

“We had a man advantage for over 40 minutes today and didn't really take advantage.

“There are still too many mistakes, we left a hatful of points on the pitch today.”

In placid conditions at Beechwood, both sides enjoyed plenty of possession in the opening stages before Richard McEvoy kicked Lymm into the lead when Rossendale were penalised for offside.

The visitors gave away another penalty shortly after the restart, Lymm kicked for the corner and from the resulting lineout, skipper Adam Bray crashed onto Tom Baker’s short ball to score between the posts.

Rossendale opened their account with a penalty, but the hosts were in again before the break when Joe Denman gathered a poor chip, fed Bray who in turn shifted the ball for McEvoy to cross and give Lymm a 17-3 half-time lead.

The visitors’ chances were dealt a blow just after the break when Reece Tomlinson was sent off for punching and Lymm took full advantage shortly after as Bray turned the ball over and surged down the right wing, drawing the last defender before feeding the supporting Ross White to score.

It took Lymm until the 65th minute to register their bonus-point try when an excellent passing move led to James Kimber crossing in the right corner.

Rossendale finally got over the line through James Bramhall, but the hosts responded when Bray scored his second try after a neat inside pass from Ollie Higginson.

That completed Lymm’s scoring for the afternoon, but it was the visitors who had the last laugh when Jordan Lord crossed with the final play of the match.

Lymm lead the table on points difference from Wirral ahead of Saturday’s trip to Yorkshire to face winless Sandal, kick off 3pm.

Lymm: Dan Horton, Ross White, Jordan Widdrington, Joe McGrail, Wil Baldwin, Jake Ashall, Adam Bray, Ollie Higginson; Tom Baker, Tom Bray; Richard McEvoy, James Kimber, Joe Knowles, Chris Owens, Joe Denman. Subs: Mike Auden, Joe Watson, Cormac Nolan.