Clinical Oldham bounce back in brilliant style

BARGING THROUGH: Oldham’s Jordan McEwan looks for a gap in the Ashton defence. Ashton 0, Oldham 74 (at Manor Park)

OLDHAM bounced back impressively from their defeat at Aspatria by roaring to a 74-0 victory against local rivals Ashton.

The Manor Park men were forced into a number of changes again for the fixture, which was switched due to the poor state of Ashton’s pitch.

Jamie Edwards, Louis North and Luke Roscoe were missing so they brought back Will Mellor and Jason Green, while Rhys Jones joined the first-team squad for the first time this season.

Both these teams were promoted to the North Lancashire and Cheshire League this season, but Ashton have found the step up much more of a challenge.

Oldham sensibly stuck with the more structured game plan that has served them so well this year, and it will hopefully bear fruit in the challenging encounters ahead. The impressive hosts scored some long-range and short-range tries. There were good team scores and good individual tries, great support play and when necessary, some good tackling.

Oldham scored 12 tries in all from Mellor (two), Nick Hackman, Ryan Arundale (two), Alec Jobson, Phil Graham, Josh Watson, Callum Megram, John Souter, Gareth Barber and Ryan Pickles, while Megram converted seven of them.

Oldham now face a tough few weeks, starting with this weekend’s home game against Bolton.

That match will be played in front of many of the club’s former players, who will be keen watchers at Manor Park as they take in their annual reunion.

Oldham still need to keep picking up wins to maintain their promotion challenge alongside Aspatria and De La Salle.