Winning streak is over as Roughyeds feel the strain

Photo: Dave Murgatroyd

Danny Langtree

SOONER or later Oldham were bound to feel the affects of straining every muscle and sinew and emptying their energy reservoir to win three games on the spin against Batley, Sheffield and Hull KR.

After nine years in League One, or its equivalent, Roughyeds are still coming to terms with the cut-throat demands of Championship rugby.

They worked wonders to beat last year’s Wembley finalists in the Challenge Cup, but that didn’t give them a divine right to win at Whitehaven, who were primed to ambush Scott Naylor’s giant-killers and bring them back to earth with a resounding bump.

HEIGHTS

They made a good job of it too. But it was no shock; the real surprise about Oldham’s post-Easter results was not this 14-6 defeat at the Recreation Ground, but the heights they scaled in seeing off two well-established Championship clubs and then knocking a Super League side out of the cup.

As Chris Hamilton has said, Roughyeds are surpassing expectations and punching above their weight; hence they can look forward to the pay day they deserve when Warrington come to Bower Fold on May 7 in the last 16 of the sport’s most prestigious knock-out competition.

Nevertheless, priority this season must be given to Championship survival and defeats like this one, following those at Workington and Swinton, tend to suggest it’s going to be one heck of a scrap to hit the finishing line above the bottom two.

The flip side, courted by fans of a more optimistic nature, is provided by home wins against Dewsbury, Batley and Sheffield; first-rate performances all and showcasing a brand of energetic, 17-man rugby that was good as anything you’re likely to see outside Super League.

Roughyeds don’t have the resources though, either of budget or playing personnel, to operate at that level consistently in a division in which four of the 12 clubs are full-time and some of the others get preferential treatment on central funding.

Naylor’s men were nowhere near their best here. On attack they lacked a cutting edge; defensively, they worked hard on their own goal line, but they were not as secure when the Cumbrians attacked from deep.

Their discipline was dodgy too, especially in the second half when they were caned 10-4 on penalties and had Gary Middlehurst sin-binned for a high shot after he had earlier been warned for a late challenge on Ed Chamberlain.

Both defences were generally on top – two tries to one in Whitehaven’s favour – but Roughyeds looked less likely to add to their try tally than did the home side.

They had the better kicking game and in half-back Louis Jouffret, a Frenchman who normally plays full-back, and second-row man Jessie Joe Parker, ‘JJ’ to his tam mates, they had two of the game’s outstanding individuals.

Richard Lepori was Oldham’s stand-out performer. He made a try-saving tackle in the second minute and it wasn’t the last time he was called on to come to his side’s rescue. He was his usual adventurous self on kick returns and was one of the few Oldham players to produce his best.

The visitors started well with Jack Holmes scoring in the corner after Jack Spencer and Phil Joy brought out the best in the ’Haven defence under their own posts. Lewis Palfrey’s conversion was a beauty.

’Haven drew level with a cracking try by centre Chris Taylor, goaled by Jouffret, before Oldham created a couple of half chances for Holmes down the left flank. It would have taken a very good winger to score in both instances, such was the tenacity of the cover defence.

Close to half-time Whitehaven took the lead with another exciting try. Speed merchant Craig Calvert was released down their left flank and with lots of room to strike he sped past Lepori on the inside to score under the posts.

Jouffret converted and then scored the only points of a messy, niggly second half when kicking a penalty after he was obstructed while chasing his own grubber into Oldham’s in-goal.

Before then, Oldham had an opportunity to break back when they were awarded three penalties in a row deep inside the home half, but they never seriously threatened to split open a hard-working ’Haven defence.

Oldham’s disappointment was complete when Middlehurst was sin-binned and then Danny Langtree went down with an ankle injury.