Ward tries earn a major victory

Photo: Dave Murgatroyd

SHOW OF STRENGTH . . . Oldham's Michael Ward forces his way over for his second try of the match against Swinton Lions at Bower Fold

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MICHAEL Ward's smash-and-grab raids early in the second half gave Oldham the impetus to make it three wins in a row.

Swinton dominated the first half thanks to a strong-running pack and creative half-backs in Ben White and Chris Atkin, who each used a clever kicking game to keep Roughyeds pinned down and under attack.

The Lions were full value for their 14-6 interval lead, but Scott Naylor's men on current form don't know when they are beaten.

RESUMPTION

They knew they had to score first on the resumption to stay in the game and, doubtless spurred on by a few choice words from the gaffer, they stepped up a gear and were in front for the first time within 14 action-packed minutes.

Craig Briscoe, Will Hope and Tyler Dickinson began to push Swinton's forwards backwards and that gave mercurial dummy-half Kenny Hughes the scope to work his magic from the back of the play-the-ball.

Penalties against Swinton for offences on Briscoe and Dickinson kept Oldham in the ascendancy and Ward turned pressure into points with tries in the 51st and 54th minutes, each time smashing through challenges on the Lions' try line and then turning in the tackle to grab the touchdown.

There were many more twists and turns to come in this evenly-matched nail-biter, but it was the Ward tries at that crucial stage of the game that defined Oldham as the team most likely to go on and edge it.

Swinton were adept at putting Oldham's kickers under pressure, while themselves adopting a strategic kicking game led by White, Atkin and, to a lesser extent, Matty Beharrell.

They used the short kick frequently, often putting Oldham in serious trouble, and had Richard Lepori and Jamel Chisholm not been alert to the danger, the tactic might have paid off handsomely.

It was just as well for Roughyeds that Lepori was as brave as ever at the back and that Chisholm had the presence of mind to cover from one wing to the other to prevent a certain try when Liam Marshall also put toe to ball and hared after it.

Oldham couldn't have had a worse start, making errors from the kick-off; conceding four of the first five penalties; and going behind when White slipped between Lepori and Briscoe to score the first try in the 12th minute.

Moments later, Stuart Littler and Gabriel Fell opened up Oldham down their right flank and Atkin sent in White for his second try, both converted by Atkin for a 12-0 lead.

Next came one of the defining moments of the game. Fell's clever kick for Littler got Shaun Robinson over in the corner, but the final pass was ruled forward and Roughyeds breathed a sigh of relief.

The Lions could have gone 16-0 or even 18-0 up, but in their next raid Kieran Gill intercepted a long ball, juggled with it and raced away to score from long range. Lewis Palfrey added the goal and Oldham were back in the game, albeit against the run of play.

A Beharrell 40-20 kept Oldham pinned back and although Lepori saved a try with a great tackle on Andy Thornley, the Swinton sub was held down and from the penalty Atkin pushed his side into a 14-6 lead.

Oldham got more into the game in the run-up to half-time, but Hope, Ward, Briscoe and Dickinson were all stopped just short by a Lions defence that was surprisingly resolute, given that they went into this game with the worst defensive record in the division.

There was another blow for the home side when Gareth Owen limped off with a hamstring injury, never to return.

Lewis Foster took his place at half-back with in-form Hughes seemingly doing the work of two men in and around he play-the-ball.

Oldham emerged for the second half looking far more determined and resolute ­- and once Ward had scored his first try to put the home side back in contention it was no surprise when he quickly did an encore.

White's restart kick was long; Palfrey was caught in two minds on the dead-ball line; and conceded a drop-out from under the sticks from which Fell sent Hallett in at the corner in the next set.

Lepori was sin-binned for dissent as Atkin put his conversion attempt off the touchline across the face of goal to leave the scored locked up at 18-18.

DISSENT

White knocked-on Palfrey's restart kick and when Barlow was penalised for a high tackle on Danny Langtree, Palfrey obliged with the goal.

Chisholm then came to Oldham's rescue before another Swinton error gave Roughyeds the initiative again as Lepori returned from the sin bin.

Joe Burke and Phil Joy got Oldham on the front foot from a drop out and Langtree's wide pass to the wing enabled Adam Clay to finish off powerfully in the corner, beating a posse of defenders on his way to the line.

Palfrey landed a cracking touchline goal ­- one that was ultimately to prove the difference between winners and losers.

Swinton still weren't finished. Barlow followed Ward's example at the other end by smashing through a crowded defence to score a try which Atkin improved to cut the deficit to two points.

It produced a frantic last 10 minutes, but Oldham held on to pick up another precious victory.