Oldham sunk by table-toppers

RUGBY: A LONG trip to Whitehaven proved fruitless for Oldham as they were beaten by North Lancashire and Cumbria League high-fliers St Benedict’s.

St Benedict’s are top of the league and quickly gained the upper hand, pinning Oldham in their 22 and opening a 3-0 lead.

Callum Megram levelled the scores when he slotted over a penalty, but the hosts were next on the scoreboard when they turned the ball over on halfway and moved the ball swiftly to Gordon Mauling, who scored under the posts. The conversion increased the lead to 10-3.

St Benedict’s had a habit of keeping the scoreboard ticking over and added to the lead first through a second penalty, and then following a calamitous moment in the Oldham defence.

A speculative kick through looked fairly innocuous, but the Oldham defence inexplicably didn’t boot the ball off the pitch, enabling Michael Ramsden the easiest of touchdowns, converted to increase the lead to 18-3.

But as on other occasions, when faced with adversity Oldham raised their game. A scrum followed a penalty and Joe Hesse picked up and barged over, taking several defenders with him. Megram converted to make the half-time score 18-10.

After the restart Louis North dived on the loose ball to record his first senior try, and an excellent conversation from Megram narrowed the gap to a single point.

A penalty increased the home side’s lead to 21-17, before Carl Drake added to the tally in the corner.

Racing’s excellent kick from the touchline made the score 28-17, and Oldham were up against it with time running out.

Jason Green recorded a well-worked try in the corner for the visitors, but the final whistle blew soon after with Oldham falling short on 28-22.

Special mention should go to Hesse and Charlie Roscoe, but the man-of-the-match was 17-year-old North, who was excellent throughout.