Kilshaw pleased with Rochdale progress

Rochdale coach Alan Kilshaw says he was happy with his team’s performance in their 44-16 friendly loss to Salford.

The Hornets put in a spirited display against Super League opposition at Spotland Stadium on Sunday.

“I’m very satisfied,” Kilshaw told Love Rugby League.

“It’s our first hit out, it’s the first time some of these have played since August. It’s a long time, on a boggy field as well.

“We started really well, which we asked them to. At 12-0, potentially it could have been 18-0. We dropped the ball over the line.

“Rob Lui who came on with the, just gave them a little bit of class. He got them into the game.”

Rochdale started strongly and took at early 12-0 lead. But the Red Devils recovered to take a 18-12 lead into half-time.

In the second half Salford put their foot down and ran in several tries.

“To go into 18-12 was a little bit of an injustice at the end of that half,” Kilshaw said.

“But generally very satisfied. I thought we executed very well. On the whole we wanted to start the game well. I thought we probably surprised Salford a little bit how physical and aggressive we were earl on.”

The likes of Lui, Justin Carney and Craig Kopczak made there debuts for Salford against the Hornets. Rochdale featured former Wakefield and Warrington winger Chris Riley on trial.

“They’re going to be fitter than our games ut I thought we matched them really well,” Kilshaw said.

“Physically and fitness-wise we’re really happy with where they’re at.

“There’s loads of things to work on but there’s a baseline now. We knew there’d be stuff to work on but I was happy that some of the things we practised came off.

Rochdale host Championship club Oldham in another friendly this Sunday.