Oldham edged out by Eccles

Oldham's Stuart Brennan looks for a gap against Eccles

Oldham RUFC were edged out 17-15 by Eccles at Manor Park.

Eccles started the brighter, having several phases in the Oldham half, before the hosts cleared the ball to just over the halfway line where the Eccles fullback took the ball and went around the outside and beat efforts to bring him down to score under the posts.

He converted to secure a 7-0 lead.

Oldham weren’t at the races in the first ten minutes.

They seemed to wake up a little and then made progress into the Eccles half.

A penalty led to a catch and drive five metres out and following a sneaky pick up and go, Nick Hackman scored an unconverted try in the corner to make it 7-5.

With only a minute or so left in the first half, a penalty for offside on the Eccles 22 turned to a lineout on the Oldham 22, and following a catch and drive, Eccles moved the ball wide and scored in the corner on the stroke of half time, making the score 12-5.

The second half began better for Oldham, who built some pressure on the Eccles line with repeated penalties in their 22.

However, the lineout was not at its best and with some poor decisions at times, the inevitable happened and Eccles broke from their own half and scored again to make it 17-5.

Ryan Arundale scored in the corner to make it 17-10, before Phil Graham then grabbed a try to make it 17-15, but time was running out and Eccles hung on late on to take the victory.

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