THE Rugby Football League have confirmed that Rochdale Hornets will start their Co-operative Championship One season on minus nine points as a result of going into administration.

Hornets, who kick-off their campaign at Workington on Sunday week, went into administration in January to fight off a winding-up petition from the Inland Revenue.

The club were re-formed under new owners but have been punished for breaching the RFL's insolvency regulations.

Hornets will take heart from the efforts of Widnes Vikings, who overcame a nine-point deficit in 2008 to reach the National League One play-offs.

Two promotion places will be up for grabs in Championship One. The table-toppers will go up automatically and the other place will go to the winners of the play-offs.

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