Oldham wilt in a foreign land

Photo: Dave Murgatroyd

Toulouse (58) v Oldham RL (18). Joe Burke scores Oldham's 2nd try.

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THERE was plenty of heat in Toulouse, but a lack of fire in Oldham's collective belly early on cost the team any chance of backing up the terrific result against Bradford Bulls.

While so difficult to beat in familiar climes - only London Broncos have come away from Bower Fold with Championship points this year and that, by a slender two-point margin - this was an on-the-road blow-up that rivalled Batley two weeks earlier.

The surroundings were unusual. You don't often get fans dressed in Oldham-coloured berets at the Fox's Biscuits Stadium, let alone a brass band playing at regular intervals. The Pyrenees is a long way from the Pennines and while Toulouse coach Sylvain Houles last week played down immediate Super League ambitions, right now players of the class of stand-off Jonathan Ford don't need a second invitation to rip it up in perfect conditions.

The imperative here for Scott Naylor's Oldham side, against a full-time outfit entering this one on a four-game winning streak and unbeaten at home, was to make a statement from the off.

Instead, it took only 46 seconds for the French to break the resistance with the opening score. Ford, formerly of Sydney Roosters, was at the hub of everything early on in an opening period containing five tries in the first 26 minutes.

Time and again in the first half, Toulouse broke from deep to score, much to Naylor's evident displeasure. The game was effectively over at half-time, with the hosts 36-0 up.

Ford's break on the left near halfway led to a run-in under the posts for scrum-half Stan Robin in the first minute; lovely footwork from last season's League One player of the year led to the second for skilful centre Gregory White; piggy-backing on a penalty led to Ford dancing in for the third; after Robin had rounded off a clinical break, Mark Kheirallah went over from a set play at a scrum; and Oldham's beleaguered right-side defence was then punctured by Ford. Six goals from as many conversion attempts came from the boot of full-back Kheirallah.

Perhaps mentally, Oldham had half an eye on Good Friday's home game against Swinton - far more 'winnable', truthfully, than this contest at Stade Ernest Ageles in Blagnac.

Still, this certainly wasn't a holiday and Naylor will have reminded his men of what they needed to do at half-time.

By then, already out of the game, the visitors belatedly started to apply some concerted pressure.

It yielded results, too. As the early evening sun started to dip behind the main stand, casting a cooling shadow over the pitch, Oldham played smartly and to the plan issued by their coach.

PENALTIES

Despite conceding consecutive penalties early in the second period, the Roughyeds defence this time held up well and in moving deep within Toulouse territory with control, David Hewitt's grubber kick was seized upon by Bulls match-winner Kieran Gill.

Five minutes later and they were in again; this time, strong work from Michael Ward offloading for Scott Leatherbarrow saw the latter held up short, only for Joe Burke to burrow over from close in.

Two conversions completed by Leatherbarrow helped at least give Toulouse something to think about.

That is, until an unfortunate fumble on a kick return from Richard Lepori (later sin-binned for holding down) allowed the hosts to flick the ball back into the path of the charging Paul Marcon. Gregory White was next over for Toulouse after powerful work down the middle by ex-Hull KR man Constantine Mika.

Naylor's men brought it back to 46-18 when Danny Langtree's purposeful angled run towards the corner was followed during the tackle with a brilliant fired offload into the arms of the supporting Lepori. It was arguably the try of the game.

Familiar failings followed, though. As in the first half when unworried Ford held sway, it became too easy for Toulouse to carve out holes down the middle by way of hesitant defending.

Another set move from a scrum led to a simple try for Clement Boyer, the sure-booted Kheirallah kicking the eighth of his nine goals, to boost the lead to 52-18.

What Oldham needed like a hole in the head at that stage was two yellow cards in the closing stages - but that's what referee Phil Bentham provided.

A tired late challenge on the kicker gave Liam Bent a 10-minute breather in the 69th minute and Lepori followed him in the 73rd when holding down a second too long after tackling a breaking Tony Maurel.

Bastien Canet was the sole try scorer with Oldham down to 11 men, leaving the out-gunned visitors to shake hands with the victors while Naylor contemplated another recovery mission across Easter.