Rotherham Titans 40 Moseley 31: It’s time for Titans to keep switched on to task

Watching Rotherham Titans is a bit like watching Andy Murray.

Comfortable and coasting for 80 per cent of the match, Rotherham have developed an inexplicable knack for switching off and allowing previously inferior opponents back into a game.

Murray is equally maddening – as tennis fans will no doubt atest over the coming fortnight at the Australian Open.

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Whenever it looks like a match is in the bag, the Scot will invariably switch off and allow his opponent brief, unwarranted hope.

Rotherham were stung for their apparent mind freeze nine days ago when London Welsh stormed back to claim victory.

The Titans were more fortunate on Saturday against weaker opposition.

Comfortably ahead 33-17 at the break, with the try bonus in the bag after just 32 minutes, Andre Bester’s men then mentally collapsed.

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Relegation-haunted Moseley scored two quick tries to trail by just two points before Titans captain Sam Dickinson scored his second and Rotherham’s fifth forwards’ try out of the six they scored, to seal a victory that should have been in the bag long before.

There were mitigating circumstances.

Bester rested his big-hitters, the thawing Clifton Lane pitch was barely playable and Moseley played with the free abandon of a side with nothing to lose.

But still, if Rotherham want to have a say in the promotion play-offs, their in-game concentration has to improve.

“We talked at half-time about doing what we know we had to do, but we just didn’t do it,” said Dickinson.

“The issue is more about concentration.

“We’re not complacent, we’re not a bunch of arrogant guys.

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“Sometimes some people switch off. It’s different people each week. There’s blame to share around but it has improved.

“It is a concern but, at the same time, it’s happening against lower teams where perhaps we’re switching off, so that can change and it will change.

“As long as we improve on this over the coming weeks, where we see a smaller period of lost concentration or none at all, then we’ll have learned.

“There does seem to be a feeling in the squad when we play against the bigger teams that concentration is stronger. That makes me confident we can overcome it.

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“And to come back at the end and finish the game makes me happy. It’s not pretty but we’ve done enough.

“After the last few weeks I’m happy with that.

“It’s not like we lost, we’re just not happy with the performance and that’s a better place than we’ve been in in recent weeks.”

After half-an-hour, it looked like Rotherham would stroll to the points.

Elliott Brierley, given a rare start on the wing, ripped possession from Anthony Carter inside his own half and raced to the tryline.

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Moseley responded with a maul that produced a try for Neil Mason but from then on Rotherham’s pack took charge.

Dickinson picked up and drove over before hooker Sam Baines scored two copybook tries from good lineout work and mauling as Moseley’s defence parted all too readily.

Prop Shane Cahill scored the hosts’ fifth try before the break, again from an attacking lineout.

Cliff Hodgson – starting in place of the rested Garry Law – converted four out of five.

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But the referee’s whistle flipped the switch in Titans’ players brains that told them enough was enough and Moseley roared back with tries from Glyn Hughes before half-time, and two slick tries from Andrew Reay and Michale Ellery after it.

Rotherham, who were second best in terms of inventive play through the backs, somehow found a second gear and began absorbing Mose pressure.

Their sixth and decisive try embodied their strength in the game; the pack driving Moseley back and Dickinson picking a hole to crash over.

Bester said: “We just let ourselves down on our management of the game.

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“It was not as good as it should be. And it would be a worry if we didn’t know what the solution was. We know how to sort this. To me, at this stage of the season, an obstacle is an opportunity.

“And this gives us the opportunity to fine tune, to see what we’re good at, what we need to do better.At this stage, we’re still struggling to see that. So it’s good for teams like Moseley to put us under pressure and see how we react.

“We all know we’re going to taper off at this stage of the season before the play-offs.

“I’m very happy with the win and the way we reacted at the end. But there are a few issues that we need to look at.”

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The victory revived Rotherham’s hopes of a top-four finish but Bester will continue to rotate his squad to keep them fresh.

Rotherham Titans: Foden (Law 67), Brierley, Monahan, Godfrey (Nonu 56), Homan, Hodgson, Williams; Cahill (Kilbane 61), Baines (Stagg 80), O’Donnell, Maddison, Griffiths (Copeland 56), Dickinson, Kirwan (Dougall 50), Taulava. Unused replacement: Harris.

Moseley: Hughes, Carter, Hunt, Reay, Robinson, Davies, Glynn (Brown 72); Gadd (Voisey 56), Quigley, O’Donnell (Caves 67), Spivey, Stott, Maltman, Ellery, Mason. Unused replacements: Ingle, Lowcock, Gillick, Thomas.

Referee: S Lee (RFU).

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