Manor men rue try that never was

MARK GOODMAN . . . in the thick of the action for Oldham RU.

De La Salle 19, Oldham 8

RUGBY UNION: WITH Gaz Barber a late injury casualty and Pete Scrivens unavailable, Oldham were without their usual strength in the back division.

And the Manor Park team slumped to defeat in a match which always promised to be difficult.

Oldham were behind after four minutes when Ben Wheeler kicked a penalty after which Jamie Phillips scored under the posts and Wheeler converted to make it 10-0.

Oldham almost replied when a lovely chip over the top by Mark Goodman was gathered by Will Mellor, who just failed to stay in play with the try-line beckoning.

But Oldham received a setback after 22 minutes. Luke Roscoe left the field with a dislocated thumb and was replaced by Nick Hackman.

The Oldham pack was having its best spell of the game and, after a good line-out and forward drive, they were awarded a penalty.

Goodman converted for Oldham’s first points of the season.

Oldham’s comeback was headed off by De La Salle, for whom Wheeler added two more penalties before half-time to make it 16-3.

Adam Waterhouse replaced Ross Cooper for the second half and, straight from the kick-off, Oldham won possession and drove the ball into the opposition 22.

De La Salle dropped the rolling maul and were penalised, with back-row forward Lee Halsall receiving 10 minutes in the bin.

Guy Lovegreen put the ball in touch 10 metres out and, from a great take in the line by Jack Taylor, the Oldham pack drove over to score their first try of the season. Goodman just missed the conversion from the touchline.

Oldham looked the more accomplished team at this stage and they thought they had secured another try when a great run down the touchline by Mellor saw him beat three men on the outside and step inside the full-back to put the ball down under the sticks.

The referee awarded the try only to see the De La Salle touch judge with his flag in the air following which play was returned to halfway for a line-out.

The game became scrappy with both De la Salle and Oldham having players in the bin for 10 minutes.

Wheeler took advantage of one such Oldham indiscretion to complete the scoring with a penalty.

Oldham’s forwards continued to improve during this game, with Dean McEwan and Taylor outstanding.

Mellor stood out in the backs with some excellent cover tackles and runs out of defence.

On the downside, the Roscoe brothers, Luke and Charlie, return to university next week so changes will have to be made to an already-struggling team.


Oldham 2nds 0, De La Salle 2nds 43

A WEAKENED Oldham second string proved no match for their De La Salle counterparts.
An early try and goal was followed by a second touchdown after 11 minutes and a third after 20.

No goal was added, but that was corrected two minutes later when, taking the ball from the kick-off, De La Salle swept downfield to score a converted try under the posts.

Oldham did have a chance to get on the scoreboard on the half hour, but the penalty kick for offside drifted narrowly wide of the posts.

Then the inevitable happened. De La Salle won the race to the ball from the drop-out, their centre hacked it downfield and the result was another converted try and half-time score of 31-0.

Oldham stepped up a gear after the break and in one purple patch midway through the second half the visitors were genuinely rattled by the Oldham tactic of picking and driving from the base of the ruck.

The defence was also much improved and the home side managed to restrict the Salford lads to only two more tries in the 57th and 68th minutes, the last one being converted to leave a final score of 43-0.




Aldwinians 32, Oldham 3rds 0

AFTER their excellent win in their previous game, Oldham’s third string were overwhelmed as the absence of players proved costly against opponents also challenging at the top end of the table.

A man short, Oldham could not play the game they wanted and heads went down after two Aldwinians tries.

Chris Gill started for Oldham in the second half, but even his experience failed to turn the tide.

Oldham Vets 46, Heaton Moor 0

WITH an average age of 46, Oldham had immense experience which they used to outwit younger opposition.

Oldham opened the scoring when Jimmy Forster jinked under the posts for a try he converted.

Mike Green rounded off a great move with a try in the corner, while Jason Green touched down twice as Oldham built a 26-0 lead by half-time.

There was more of the same in the second half as the backs made good ground with fast, incisive moves.