Hewitt is on fire in 10-try thriller

Photo: Darren Robinson

COMING through . . . Jack Spencer takes on the opposition

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DAVE Hewitt's flash of inspiration in a magic moment created the match-clinching score in a 10-try thriller at Rochdale.

With Oldham 24-18 ahead near the end, Hewitt set himself up for a drop goal, but changed his mind and went for plan B when he was quickly closed down.

The Roughyeds' half-back said: "We were looking for one point, but a defender came flying out and put me under pressure.

"I couldn't get the kick in, so I stepped him and a gap opened up. It was off-the-cuff stuff. The initial step was quick but after that it seemed like slow motion.

"I then heard Luke Hooley screaming for the ball on the inside and he went under the posts to score our fifth try. What a great feeling.

"We've got three cup finals to come in our battle to escape the drop, but two of them are at home and we're all buzzing after drawing at Batley and winning at Rochdale.

"We've dragged Rochdale back into the mix. There's pressure on all three of us - Rochdale, Swinton and ourselves - but we are determined to fight to the end and we've shown we've just as much chance as the other two.

"We need to be smarter in our kick selections, but I'm learning a lot from Scott Leatherbarrow and Scott Naylor."

Naylor stressed that Swinton's win at Dewsbury should not take gloss off this hugely spirited Oldham victory - their first win in eight outings and only the second in 16.

Three points from a possible four in consecutive away games, however, should work wonders for the Roughyeds' confidence and make their relegation rivals start to squirm.

They've good reason to start peeping over their shoulders.

This was an Oldham performance that overflowed with courage, grit, determination, spirit, self-belief and honest endeavour

Hooley, only 19, was a class act at full-back, kicking five goals from five attempts, scoring the match-defining try, assisting in Joe Burke's second try and using his long stride to eat up the metres more than once on the break.

On one such sortie into enemy territory he was tripped by Hornets centre Lewis Galbraith, who was sin-binned in the run-up to half-time.

Hornets also lost second-row man Jono Smith with a facial injury just before the break, Oldham demonstrating they were in no mood for letting this slip, like they did in the league game at Rochdale and in the Summer Bash meet at Blackpool.

All 10 forwards worked hard, no-one more so than two-try prop Joe Burke, who had a top game in the front-row. The Welshman loves to score tries and, unusually for a prop, he has the knack of popping up at the right time and in the right place to take the final pass.

His first try came off Matty Wilkinson's smart scoot from dummy half. His second after impressive approach play by Luke Adamson, Hooley and Kenny Hughes.

Adamson also impressed, while Jack Spencer, Liam Thompson and Liam Bent grafted solidly and replacement props Michael Ward and Ade Adebiyi made big impacts off the bench.

Wilkinson, Gee and Hughes, the three hookers, caused Hornets heaps of concerns around the ruck and when jumping out of dummy half.

Oldham opened the scoring with Burke's early try and never lost their lead. They were 18-8 up at half-time and were 30-18 to the good before Joe Taira crashed over on the last play of the game to score a consolation try.

Both teams scored five tries, but the crucial difference was in the marksmanship. While Lewis Palfrey failed to convert tries by Chris Riley, Jake Eccleston and Rob Massam off the touchline, Hooley stroked home five goals from five shots, one of them a penalty.

The kick after Adam Clay's try in the corner just before half-time went to Scott Leatherbarrow, but he pulled it narrowly wide.

Palfrey, with a wide ball, and Danny Yates, with a telling kick, set up the first two Hornets tries for Chris Riley and Jake Eccleston. Ryan Maneely's try from dummy half early in the second half cut Oldham's lead.

Oldham successfully defended seven sets in a row, however, and then extended their lead with Burke's second try. Hornets scored again when Massam crossed in the corner, but it was all wrapped up when Hewitt sent in Hooley under the sticks.