Sheffield Eagles 38 Rochdale Hornets 14: Five-star Lo steers Eagles to back-to-back wins

Sheffield Eagles' Garry Lo scored five tries in the win over Hornets. Picture: Andrew Roe

A brilliant individual effort from winger Garry Lo saw the Papua New Guinea speedster plunder five tries, as the Eagles blitzed Hornets with six second half scores to maintain their push for a top four spot.

Mark Aston reiterated his need to manage Lo’s knee problem in the week, and the care and attention paid off with the first try.

Ben Blackmore and Menzie Yere were heavily involved, before Yere’s compatriot Lo crossed the whitewash, but Simon Brown missed the extras.

Lo was again alive to the situation as he bagged his second score on 18 minutes. Brown’s grubber kick took a kindly bounce, and Lo pounced after Miles Greenwood’s slip to score. Brown missed the conversion.

Just before the break Lo looked set for his hat-trick, but he was unable to land on Brown’s early kick before the ball went dead.

Rochdale were back in the contest on the stroke of half-time as Jono Smith powered through several tackles to score, with Lewis Palfrey kicking the conversion.

Eagles took the initiative straight after the interval as Lo completed his hat-trick after a break down the wing. Brown converted for his 1,000th career point.

Another inspired break from Lo was behind the next try for Yere, who also played a big role in the build-up, and Brown converted.

The tries kept coming as more expansive play, again involving Lo, ended with a first try for Jack Owens, but Brown missed the extras.

Just past the hour a Brown kick was seized upon by Elliot Minchella who crossed, and Brown converted.

Rochdale found a consolation when Smith fed Rob Mallam who sprinted down the wing to score, but Palfrey missed the conversion.

In the last 10 minutes Rochdale narrowed the gap further when Massam crossed again. Palfreymissed the extras.

The scoring appropriately ended with Lo, who profited after good work from Greg Burns to dive over from dummy half.

Then right on the hooter Lo was in again for his fifth try and his 23rd in total for the season.

n Eagles: Owens; Lo, Yere, Flynn, Blackmore; Brown, Minchella; Wheeldon, Fozard, Mexico; James, Straugheir; Hope. Interchange: Burns, Green, Scott, Cox.

Tries: Lo (4,18, 44, 75, 80), Yere (49), Owens (51), Minchella (62), Goals: Brown 3/8

* Rochdale: Riley; Greenwood, Eccleston, Galbraith, Massam; Palfrey, Yates; Taira, Maneely, Bennion; Smith, Case; Middlehurst. Interchange: Moores, Mitchell, Hadden, Crowley.

Tries: Smith (39), Massam (64, 72) Goals: Palfrey 1/3.