Back to drawing board for Rotherham Titans after another narrow defeat

Anthony Maka drives towards the line against Darlington Mowden Park on Saturday. Pictures: STEVE METTAM

Titans conceded a last gasp try to lose 18-13 to Darlington Mowden Park after running out of steam late on.

Rotherham have lost three out of their last four – all by a single score – to leave them with just two wins from their opening six games in National One.

“I feel a bit like this is a recorded message. We are dying in games,” said director of rugby Martin Jenkinson. “This was another single score game and at the minute we just haven’t got enough in the tank to get us to the right side of them.

“Darlington deservedly edged it on the day. Equally it could have gone either way. It was disappointing that it was a glaring error and a lack of fitness at the end that allowed Darlington to get the full four points.”

Darlington centre Ben Dixon went over for the deciding score from a break by Callum Irvine, the full-back who left Clifton Lane at the end of last season.

In a game marked by strong defence from both sides, Titans ground out a 10-3 lead thanks to a penalty try and then a penalty from the boot of Sam Hollingsworth, only to be pegged back by a converted score as the first half ended 10-10.

Rotherham's Connor Dever chips the ball over Callum Mackenzie.

After Hollingsworth and Seals traded penalties in an equally hard second half, the match looked to be heading for a draw but Rotherham’s long, exhausting tackling stints caught up with them in the closing stages and they gifted possession back to the visitors once too often.

“We have to regroup and do some hard work,” added Jenkinson. “We identified this a week or two ago. It is not sorted in a fortnight and we have to keep working at it until we get it right.”

Rotherham face a tough trip to high flyers Chinnor on Saturday, before which they will monitor the fitness of their walking wounded.

Toby Williams, celebrating 100 club appearances, suffered concussion. Another prop, Reece Ward, took a bang to the collar bone and centre Jamie Cook picked up a leg injury.

Much more from the Titans camp in Friday’s Advertiser.