OXFORD RL remain rooted to the bottom of the table after league leaders Rochdale Hornets inflicted an eighth successive defeat in a 52-24 loss at Tilsley Park.

The Blues battled well, but a dominant second half performance saw the visitors take victory in the Kingstone Press League 1 encounter.

Both teams held strong in the opening stages.

But it was Rochdale who took a 6-0 lead on eight minutes when Chris Riley slipped through to cross for Paul Crook to convert.

It did not take long for Oxford to reply as Jordan Siddons’s pass allowed Josh Nathaniel to dance through and score a try on 12 minutes.

Nathan Kitson added the extras to make it 6-6.

The Blues fell centimetres short of the try line on a number of occasions as they looked for another score, but eventually Harvey Burnett pushed through to go over.

Kitson converted to put Oxford 12-6 ahead.

But after the hosts lost Tom Holmes to a shoulder injury, the visitors rallied and went on to open up an 18-12 lead at half-time.

Jono Smith crossed and Crook converted, before Ben Moores went over.

Crook once again added the two points with the boot as Hornets led by a converted try at the break.

It took Rochdale just three minutes to add to their tally in the second half as Samir Tahraoui went over, with Crook adding the extras.

The game then saw alternating tries between the teams as Oxford responded through Siddons’s score, which was converted by Danny Allan.

But Smith went over for his second try of the game on 53 minutes, Crook adding the extras, to make it 30-18.

Minutes later, Casey Canterbury crossed to score for Oxford and Allan converted to cut the deficit to six points.

But that was to be the hosts last score as Rochdale went on to dominate the latter stages.

A break led to Michael Ratu crossing and Crook continuing his fine kicking form with the conversion.

Oxford’s Nathaniel was sin-binned for an illegal tackle on 69 minutes and the visitors took full advantage.

Riley scored back-to-back tries, both converted by Crook, to make it 48-24.

Alex Trumper then crossed for the final try of the game, with Crook unable to complete his 100 per cent record with the boot.

Oxford’s Nathaniel and a Rochdale player were sin-binned on 80 minutes after an altercation between the two sides, but the match was already over as a contest.