Sting in tale as Hornets recover

Photo: Paul Sterritt

Oldham Rougheds V Rochdale Hornets, match played at the Spotland ground, Rochdale. Oldham player,(green strip), Oldham team members celebrate, Michael Ward's, all important try during the second half of the game..

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IT was the best, most exhilarating derby for years between these old adversaries.

Who needs Super League when you've got a game of this quality on your doorstep ?

It had the lot - evenly-matched teams; fierce defence; exciting attack; passion a plenty; thrust and counter thrust; and a finish that broke Oldham hearts as down-and-out Hornets hauled themselves off the canvas to snatch a 26-26 draw.

The winner was Joe Public. Kick-off was delayed for 50 minutes because of severe motorway delays around Manchester, but players of both sides quickly compensated for lost time and provided a 1,000-plus derby crowd with edge-of-your-seat entertainment.

The Championship gets stronger with each passing year, but we've seen already this season that Oldham, in year two, and Hornets, in year one, have the potential to finish higher than many people will give them credit for.

They proved it again here.

Given that Oldham led 26-14 with only a few minutes left, having run in 20 unanswered points in a brilliant second-half performance, Roughyeds fans are bound to feel it was a point lost.

But would they have settled for a draw when they trailed 14-6 at half-time, having had their left-side defence prised open three times; twice by Josh Crowley in the dying minutes of the half?

Crowley, switched from left side to right, had a first-half blinder against his former club, although Oldham had most of the ball and most of the territorial advantage.

Factor in that the home side scored five tries to four and Lewis Palfrey, on any other day, would probably have back-heeled the THREE goal chances he fluffed and you have more reason for acknowledging that a precious point at Spotland was to be lauded, thank you very much.

PREVENTED

Scott Leatherbarrow, in stark contrast, kicked immaculately to land five goals from five shots, including a late penalty goal which ultimately prevented the home side from snatching victory in the dying seconds.

Leatherbarrow, whose organisational skills are now coming to the fore, and his half-back partner Dave Hewitt won hands down the battle of the play-makers with Palfrey and Danny Yates.

Of the four Yates was the most likely to search out a gap and make a break, but Palfrey went into his shell after setting up Ben Moores' opening try and it was left to Leatherbarrow and Hewitt to kick Hornets to death.

Leatherbarrow had a cracking game behind a pack which was on top for most of the 80 minutes.

Adam Neal, new-boy Jordan Walne and Ben Davies were mighty men for Oldham in the opening salvos, Davies going on to deliver big minutes and looking all the world like a forward who is going to make a big impact in his first season with the club.

KEY ROLES

George Tyson kept Lewis Galbraith quiet and played key roles in Oldham tries by Adam Clay and Michael Ward as the Roughyeds burgeoning authority looked certain to win them the game.

Richard Lepori came in the wing for his first Oldham game since last season and he was a success, too.

Palfrey and Jack Holmes set up an early try for Moores, but Oldham were soon back on terms when Walne finished strongly wide out and Leatherbarrow landed an angled goal.

Oldham dominated the rest of the half without scoring any more and they were rocked on their heels when Crowley crashed over near half-time and then immediately made the break which fashioned a walk-in for Holmes.

Roughyeds resumed with all guns blazing and three quick tries by Clay, Egodo and Michael Ward, each improved by Leatherbarrow, should have done the trick.

Hornets got a lifeline when Gavin Bennion forced his way over for Palfrey to land the goal. And with time running out, Clay made an uncharacteristic handling error and, from the scrum, Hornets set up position from which Ryan Maneely went under the sticks to level things up.