Oldham run is ended

IN POSSESSION . . . Oldham's Gareth Blomeley attempts to make ground for his side

OLDHAM RUFC'S first XV saw their four-match winning run come shuddering to a halt, as local rivals De La Salle completed a double success with a home 28-11 triumph in the North Lancashire and Cumbria League.

The visitors, without eye-injury victim Luke Roscoe, came up against a De la Salle side sitting in second place in the table who started off playing a tight, forward-oriented game.

Oldham held firm and Callum Megram put them in front with a penalty after Will Mellor had been cynically halted by a player who had not retreated on a tap-penalty.

The hosts answered that with a try from close range, the conversion making it 7-3. Megram reduced the arrears with another kick and Charlie Roscoe went very close to crossing before consecutive penalties led to Mellor putting man-of-the-match Josh Watson across in the corner.

That gave the visitors an 11-7 half-time advantage, but the start to the second half was a poor one and a free-kick led to a try that was well converted.

De la Salle then went over again, with Oldham minds elsewhere, with a conversion from out wide making it 21-11.

Heavy pressure on the home try line did not yield any points thanks to a knock-on at the crucial moment and to add insult to injury, a bonus point try was added to embellish the result.

The first team now have a free weekend coming up before a trip to Workington on Saturday week.