Union men ease relegation fears

OLDHAM'S Gareth Barber (in blue) breaks away for a try against Aldwinians.

RUGBY UNION:

OLDHAM RU extended their unbeaten run to four games with a vital 18-12 win over Aldwinians in North Lancs/Cumbria division.

Although Oldham outscored the visitors two tries to nil, the outcome was in the balance as the local rivals battled for points to pull away from the relegation places.

Andy Gorey again led the way for Oldham with 13 points, but he was off target with five penalty attempts which would have eased the pressure as James Worrall kept Aldwinians in the hunt by kicking four from five.

The Oldham pack laid the foundations with a series of driving mauls which pushed the opposition back 30 or 40 metres. And Chris McKenzie ensured a good supply of ball from the lineout as the forwards turned in their best overall display of the season.

The backs were dangerous with the ball, Gareth Barber again leading by example and receiving good support from Will Mellor, Rob Froggatt and Joe Hesse.

However, it was Aldwinians who took an early lead with a Worrall penalty.

Oldham responded with Barber taking a quick tap penalty, allowing Gorey to go over for a try which he converted.

Worrall and Gorey traded penalties before Barber grabbed Oldham’s second try, winning the ball in the tackle and, despite a leg injury, sprinting from halfway to touch down.

Two Worrall penalties again reduced the deficit early in the second half before Gorey responded with a successful kick of his own to give Oldham an 18-12 advantage which they managed to cling on to for the final 12 minutes.

Victory lifted Oldham out of the bottom three with games in hand on those around them. Aldwinians are now in the danger zone with only one match to play.


IT was a different story in the second-team fixture between the clubs, Aldwinians winning 51-14.

Oldham are now comfortably mid-table with nothing really to play for while Aldwinians are looking to win the division, having only lost two games all season.

It didn’t take long for Aldwinians to break down the Oldham defence, scoring a try in the right corner, and they quickly followed up with a converted touchdown from a rolling maul following a lineout, which they dominated all afternoon.

Oldham responded with full-back Phil Graham powering through on an arcing run from his own 22 before putting prop Jon Maslen through a gaping hole in the Aldwinians defence to race half the length of the pitch to score. Scott Danby added the conversion.

However, Aldwinians stepped up a gear and were out of sight by the interval thanks to four more tries, two converted, to make it 36-7.

The second period started much better for Oldham as the forwards began to get some momentum and Aldwinians next score didn’t come until after the hour mark.

Five minutes later the home side scored again and it was looking like a cricket score. However, Oldham found some reserves of energy and Danby broke through the centre and linked with Chris Booth who set up Brian Massey for a try under the posts, converted by Danby.

Aldwinians had the last word, though, with a converted try in the last minute.

Although being outplayed on the day there were many positives for Oldham - not least the performance of youngster Calum Megram. Also impressive were Jon Maslen, Matty Collins and Christian Booth.