Penalty count costly for Oldham

TEAMWORK: Callum Megram (left) and Jamie Edwards combine to stop an Aspatria forward.

Aspatria 18, Oldham RUFC 15

OLDHAM were punished for another hefty penalty count, but a team containing eight players of 21 years and under pushed the North Lancashire and Cumbria League promotion hopefuls all the way.

Aspatria insisted their pitch was playable and Oldham, with Joe Hesse, Charlie Roscoe and Phil Garahm back in their ranks, arrived to find a surface similar to the one which had been ruled unfit a week earlier.

Neither team nor officials raised doubts about the game going ahead and Oldham went in front through a Callum Megram penalty after a big hit by Josh Watson.

The visitors started to concede penalties, mainly for offside around the breakdown, and life became easier for the home team who took the lead when Martin Atkinson spotted that Oldham were short-handed on a tight blind side before showing enviable pace and dexterity to score in the corner.

The referee eventually lost patience when the visitors conceded their seventh penalty in 26 minutes and sent Adam Waterhouse to the bin for 10 minutes.

Despite their numerical advantage, Oldham’s defensive organisation saw the 10 minutes come and go without either side scoring again.

After the break Oldham pressed deep into the opposition 22 and a series of penalties in the red zone finally resulted in a yellow card for the home team.

The pressure continued and it was no surprise when Oldham managed to disrupt a five-metre scrum and Megram touched down. His conversion attempt went tantalising wide.

With around 10 minutes remaining, the defining moment arrived. Oldham were awarded a penalty on the 10-metre line but the shot at goal was short. A big boot upfield wasn't dealt with and Oldham’s speculative up and under into the wind was gathered by Kenneth Bowes on the halfway line.

The Aspatria man showed terrific speed to skate through an Oldham defence that hadn't had time to readjust and he scored by the posts.

The conversion made the score 18-8, but John Souter’s try and Megram’s conversion made it 18-15 to the hosts.