‘A’ team suffer Trophy exit

Oldham Rugby Union Club first team, left to right, back: Davie Roscoe (manager) Jordan McEwan, Matt Brogan, Paul Wardle, Mark Goodman, Rob Fryer, Nick Duncan, Ryan Jackson, Ross Cooper, Lee Kemp (coach), Barry Jones (president) and Lorna Jepson (physio). Front: Joe Hesse, Adam Waterhouse, Andy Gorey, Gareth Barber (captain), Jamie Edwards, Charlie Roscoe, Jack Hawkins, Jack Taylor and Kyle Howard.

RUGBY UNION: OLDHAM Rugby Union A team made a trip into the unknown for their Raging Bull Trophy game, away to Whitchurch, and bowed out of the competition 18-10.

It was believed to be the first time the club had ever faced the Shropshire side, who are currently third from bottom of the Miller Homes Division 2.

Oldham again had problems with cry-offs prior - nine players making themselves unavailable. Even so they still managed to field a side that should have competed better on a wet and windy afternoon.

For the amount of rain that has fallen recently the pitch was in remarkably good condition and Oldham, with a strong wind at their backs, took every opportunity to drive the ball forward and look for gaps in the home defence.

However, although the Oldham pack had more mobility, the home side had the advantage at the set piece - particularly the scrum - and it was from such a situation that Whitchurch went ahead.

From a scrum just inside the Oldham half, Whitchurch swung the ball from right to left and the defence seemed a bit flat-footed as the home side created the overlap to score by the corner flag.

Oldham hit back within five minutes when a series of penalties brought them to within kicking distance and Scott Danby duly obliged to record their first points.

Back row Chris McKenzie and his opposite number were both sent to the sin-bin for ten minutes following an altercation, and it was Oldham who came off worse.

Whitchurch managed to keep the ball alive and a good passing movement found some space down the right for a try out wide which made it 10-3 at the interval.

Oldham needed to hit back as early as possible in the second half but a number of handling errors gifted possession to the Shropshire team and the constant pressure, despite an obvious knock on, produced a try five minutes into the half.

Although Oldham responded well, Whitchurch are in the division above for a reason and their defence held firm. In fact, it was the home side that scored again after 65 minutes via a penalty for handling in the ruck.

On the final play of the game, Oldham stand-off Scott Danby made an excellent break from his own half and drew the full-back before giving a well-timed pass out to the supporting Jason Green for a try which Danby converted.

It was too little, too late, but Oldham showed, in patches, that they can at least compete with the better teams.

There were some excellent performances - among them hard-tackling Alan Pierre, Chris McKenzie and Brian Massey, who stepped up to the mark as prop for the last quarter of the game. But it was his fellow prop Jamie Edwards who stood out as Oldham’s man of the match.




OLDHAM Extra A had several players unavailable through injury and illness and lost more to A team call-ups.

But they dug deep to book their place in the next round, courtesy of an 8-7 win over old rivals Aldwinians 3rds.

Aldwinians scored the opening try in the corner from a good set move and added an excellent conversion.

A spate of injuries - and a sin-binning for each side - disrupted proceedings, but Oldham reduced the deficit after the interval when, following a series of forward drives, the ball was moved wide for Ryan Wan to touch down.

Good play from Sean Barratt, Paul Watson and Les Jones soon put Oldham back on the attack and it was no surprise when Aldwinians conceded a penalty which Andy Gorey stroked over to make it 8-7.

However, there was still time for a few anxious moments - none more so than when Aldwinians missed what looked a fairly straightforward penalty kick.


OLDHAM Vets also booked their place in the next round with a 57-0 victory at Dukinfield 3rds.

Paddy Farnan opened the scoring after 20 minutes, Danny Simpson adding the conversion.

And it wasn’t long before Mark Fitton scored a try after a terrific solo effort, again converted by Simpson.

With Oldham’s forwards dominating, a scrum on the five-metre line led to Alan Hodkinson pouncing on the ball to score. And, on the stroke of half time, Farnan added his second try of the game - Simpson landing his fourth conversion.

The second half followed the same pattern and their were further tries for Dave Roberts, Chris Pickles, Farnan (for his hat-trick), Hodkinson and Graham Tricky - all but one converted by Simpson.


Colts have edge

THE Oldham Colts (under-14s) won 22-19 at Trafford MV in a see-saw match.

Oldham took the lead from a well-worked move along the back line, touched down by winger James Fairbrother.

Trafford replied with a converted try before Ryan Arundale regained the lead for Oldham.
Once again, Trafford MV took the lead early in the second half with another converted try only for Oldham to battle back with a score from strong-running centre James Fowles which was converted by Ellis Catherall.

Oldham extended their lead with a second try from Fowles, which was unconverted, before MV responded with a late unconverted try.