Paul Cullen knows more than most that Rugby league games last 80 minutes. having seen his team drain every last drop from the clock to take victory against Oldham last week, he - and we - watched Whitehaven call it a day after 79 minutes and 15 seconds. Leaving just long enough for a Rugby League miracle and a quite stunning finish.

But it started badly, Hornets allowing giant Whitehaven donkey-boy Cox to crash in from a yard. Five minutes in and the customary 0-6 lead to contend with. Hornets then gained a penalty in a great attacking position, but once again elected to take the two points off the deficit instead of looking for parity. The penalty was cancelled out on ' Haven's next visit to Hornets territory - followed in quick succession by a try from Rob Purdham. The visitors ahead 14-2, Hornets again took a penalty 2-points on their next attack before eventually playing some cohesive football to send Brendan O'Meara in out wide. Haven added another penalty to lead 16-8 at the break.

With Richard Pachniuk sitting out a sin-binning for being offside on his own line - don't ask, referee Ben Thaler controlled this game using his own set of rules all afternoon - Hornets started the second half in determined mood. Calland stepping across the line twice in the same set, finding Damian Ball with a pinpoint cut out pass to score.

Within two minutes, Haven had restored the gap - Leroy Joe charging down Ayres' flapping kick to gather and score. Hornets training 22-12 and looking in all sorts of trouble. But Hornets hit the 'Go!' button. First Dave Larder shrugging off tacklers to crash in and score, followed five minutes later by Matt Calland, whose route-one attitude paid dividends as he barged in to score. The newly introduced Danny Wood coolly slotted the touchline conversion and Hornets were ahead for the first time on 66 minutes.

Whitehaven stepped up their spoiling remit, breaking up the play, lying on at tackles and taking full advantage of Mr Thaler's somewhat loose interpretation of the play-the-ball laws. Scrambling and stumbling their way to the Hornets line, 'Haven produced their one last shot - and it worked.

Marc Jackson found space and he blatantly knocked after fumbling the ball. More in hope than anticipation he regathered and, whilst everyone in the ground except the referee waited for the scrum, he found found Lee Kiddie with enough momentum to score. Uproar amongst the ranks; disbelief at an appalling decision; Haven fans couldn't believe their luck. Kirkbride converted and with less than five minutes remaining Hornets went in search of the game.

Taking the footballing option Hornets tried in vain to work the ball around and, with Whitehaven plonking the ball in touch deep in Hornets territory with a minute left all hope was gone.

But wait...

Trailing 28-24 Hornets packed down on their own 20 metre line with 60 seconds remaining on the clock. Having seen their team claw their way back into a game that they were chasing from the off, Hornets fans whispered hopes of that freak breakaway try that never comes when you really need it.

Thus began the countdown to the most amazing minute of Rugby League that a supporter could hope to see. Ayres fed the scrum and took the resulting ball infield (45 seconds); Owen took the pass at speed and pulled away from tacklers to find himself in open field (30 seconds); the defenders began to gather, tracking him down just past half way (20 seconds); from nowhere, Matt Calland appeared on Owen's shoulder (10 seconds); Owen stalled, drew the defenders and delivered a millimetre-perfect pass that Calland didn't have to break his stride to take (5 seconds); Club Captain Matt Calland steamed under the posts to touch down - celebrations on the field, pandemonium in the stand, Woody's conversion to win it and the hooter before the restart. Magical, magical stuff.
Having had 30 years of Hornets sides that never nick games, this was testimony to real spirit and the size of the hearts that beat under the Rochdale crest.

Credit too to the supporters who, having suffered the blow of Thaler's ridiculous decision minutes earlier, raised themselves for one last roar in an attempt to raise the team.

Celebrating after the hooter, this felt like a club victory - players and supporters alike digging into the last of their reserves for one last push. 'While there's time on the clock, there's still hope' said one supporter near me - and for once we got what we deserved.