Report: Rochdale Hornets 6-42 Hunslet

Rochdale fell to their first league defeat of the Betfred Championship season as a Bureta Faraimo-inspired Hunslet ran in eight tries in a comprehensive 42-6 victory.

There was a Hornets debut for new signing Marcus Green, who started on the bench, while Jack Hansen replaced the absent Max Flanagan at full-back.

Sunday also saw the return of some familiar faces to the Crown Oil Arena for the visitors, including Myles Harrop, Emmerson Whittel and Elijah Simpson, who all departed the club in 2025.

The visitors wasted no time and opened the scoring after less than five minutes thanks to the experienced Faraimo, who powered his way over in the corner. Billy Jowitt added the extras to give his side an early six-point lead.

Rochdale had their first real opportunity just after the quarter-hour mark, forcing Hunslet to defend on their goal-line before a knock-on gifted possession back to the Parksiders.

Faraimo had his second of the game at the midway point of the half, with an almost identical finish to his first.

It was all one-way traffic from that point, and Faraimo took full advantage of a set restart on the Rochdale line to complete his hat-trick with 26 minutes gone.

With 10 minutes to go until the break, Hunslet were in again, Eddie Battye enjoying the freedom of the Crown Oil Arena to finish a quick break to add four more to the scoreboard, before Jowitt once again added the extras.

It was four for Faraimo five minutes before half-time, adding to his tally with a simple finish in the corner.

The home side had their best opportunities of the half just before the hooter, as Ethan Wood exploited a gap in the Hunslet defence but couldn’t keep hold of the ball.

They did, however, get two repeat sets following a penalty and a goal-line drop-out, but couldn’t make either of them pay as the visitors went into the interval with a commanding 26-point lead.

It took just seven minutes of the second half for Faraimo to score again, former Hornet Myles Harrop providing the assist for the winger to go on a tenacious run before stumbling over the line. 

It seemed as if nothing would go right for Gary Thornton’s side, and 15 minutes from time, their woes were compounded as Jowitt added his name to the tryscorers list with a weaving run around the Hornets defence to all-but-seal the deal, before the full-back converted his own score from in front of the posts.

There was something for the home supporters to cheer nine minutes from time as TJ Boyd spun his way to the line to score his sixth try of the season in all competitions, before Jamie Dallimore’s conversion went in off the post. 

There was late injury concern for the home side as winger Dan Nixon was taken from the field on a stretcher following a tough hit, as the Hornets’ day went from bad to worse. 

Isaac Misky added his name to the Hunslet scorers two minutes from time, and Jowitt again added the extras to cap off a comprehensive display, with Kyle Trout’s side becoming the first team to take points off Rochdale in 2026. 

A trip to Whitehaven awaits next Sunday, with the Hornets looking to bounce back from a disappointing afternoon.

Rochdale Hornets: Hansen, Nixon, Ashton, Sa’u, Boyd, Dallimore, Hickey, Dayes, Whitmore, Kelly-Duffy, Wood, Taylor, Syme. Bench:: Hatton, Waterworth, Green, Metcalfe.

Tries: Boyd

Goals: Dallimore

Hunslet: Jowitt, Agoro, Graham, Harrop, Faraimo, Gaskell, Abram, Hallas, Misky, Foster Gilmore, Whittel, Batye. Bench: Corbett, Simpson, Leake, Berry.

Tries: Faraimo (5), Battye, Jowitt, Misky

Goals: Jowitt (6)

Gary Thornton reaction

Ross Whitmore reaction