League leaders prove too strong for gutsy Oldham RU

After a great result the previous week Oldham looked to keep momentum going with a good performance against current league leaders Wigan.

However, the visitors to Manor Park triumphed 33-15.

With the notable absences of Tom Davies and Jack Taylor it was a changed team that had won the week before against Southport.

The team saw the welcome return of stalwarts Dean McEwan and Robert Froggatt, while winger Josh Cinnermanis was rewarded with his first start of the season due to his efforts in training.

As expected Wigan started strong and were throwing the ball around with confidence.

However, Oldham weren’t phased and continued to hold up with the same defensive intensity they had showed in the Southport game the week earlier.

Eventually Wigan’s persistent pressure found a hole in the defence and went over under the sticks, to make an easy conversion.

Many would have thought, this was just the first of many, but not today and not the way this Oldham side were playing at the moment.

Oldham really took it to Wigan and a fine recovery on the Kick Off from the ever impressive Sean Carter, put Oldham in a great position just outside the Wigan 22.

Some fine forward carries from Carter, Josh Semple, Nick Hackman and Isaac Dobbs kept building pressure which eventually led to a penalty.

Up stepped the calm and collective Alex Jobson to claim the three points with ease.

Wigan showed why they were top of the league and worked their way deep into the Oldham 22.

Despite the Wigan onslaught, Oldham’s defence held strong, shutting the door at every opportunity.

What would it take to break down the Oldham defence?

A quick step back inside from the strong Wigan centre, caught the high trailing arm of an Oldham defender, leaving an easy penalty right in front of the sticks and saw the Oldham player sent for a 10 minute break.

Wigan opted to try and make the extra man count and they almost did before a superb steal on the line from Semple, before Jobson cleared his lines to alleviate the pressure.

The game remained in the balance for the remainder of the half thanks to the fantastic defensive efforts from the Oldham side, especially Luke Ferrier, Brian Massey, Josh Cinnermanis and Jordan McEwan, the latter of who’s tackle count in recent weeks has surpassed its total count over the last 20 years.

The score looked like it was going to remain as was going into half time, before Wigan made the extra man pay using an overlap that saw a fine break down the right wing from the Wigan hooker.

He found a rare gap in the Oldham defence before drawing a pass to his winger who broke up the wing, releasing a long ball inside to the supporting fullback who put the ball down under the sticks for an easy conversion before the break.

The half time score was Oldham 3, Wigan 14.

The score seemed to flatter the opponents at the break and if anything spurred the Oldham players on in the second half.

The only change at the half was Massey making way for Shane Connaughton.

The start of the second half was a great spectacle of rugby from both sides.

With strong carries and even stronger blows being exchanged between the two sides, with no one wanting to let up.

A quick tap from McEwan, who unleashed Froggatt down the left wing before some fine interplay with Hackman and Lewis Ward, which looked an almost certain try.

Although the Wigan fullback had other ideas with a great last ditched tackle, the ball came loose in the ruck and Wigan were quick to recover and release pressure.

This seemed to give Wigan a bit of confidence and they were quick to break down the pitch with some great support play.

A neat quick through from the Wigan 10, took an untimely bounce for the chasing Oldham backline, which gifted Wigan an easy pick up and their third try of the afternoon. With the conversion unsuccessful the score was Oldham 3, Wigan 19.

Oldham weren’t for giving up and straight from the Kick Off forced the Wigan error, recovering the ball.

What followed was arguably some of Oldham’s finest play of the season that marched the Wigan defence back with every carry.

The forwards led by Hackman, picked and went up the pitch tying in the Wigan defenders one by one. Oldham worked up to the Wigan 5m line thanks to carries from Paul Wardle, Dobbs, Rhys Jones and the ever green Dean McEwan.

With Wigan fixated on trying to stop the barrelling runs of the Oldham pack, it was scrum half Ward, with a cheeky pick and go from the base of the ruck, which to his delight saw a gap open up for him to dance through and score under the sticks.

Jobson added the extras to make it Oldham 10, Wigan 19.

Oldham were on the ascendancy and from the kick-off a deep return from Froggatt forced a rare error from the Wigan fullback who stepped into touch regathering the ball.

With Oldham’s purple patch well and truly flourishing, they continued to work their way up the pitch.

Another try seemed almost certain before a last gasp defensive effort from the Wigan pack held up Hackman over the line.

Finally Oldham’s relentless pressure paid off when a high kick from Louis Fitton was chased and recovered by flying Reece Blakeley who put in another neat kick through and win the foot race before dotting the ball down for Oldham’s second try of the game.

Jobson narrowly missing the extras.

At 15-19, it was a scoreline many wouldn’t have predicted before the game but credit to the men in red and white that just kept going and put the league leaders under some serious pressure.

Oldham continued to threaten upfront with Semple, Dobbs, Carter and Marshall Yates, making in roads in the Wigan defence.

It looked like Oldham had done it and gained the lead, when the referee blew the whistle awarding Oldham a try.

However, this was much to everyone’s confusion as this was just inside the opposition 22.

Wigan never gave up and ended up scoring two unanswered tries.

One of which on the stroke of full time, controversially Froggatt was seemed to have placed the ball down in the in goal, but the ref deemed that this was knocked forward and allowed the Wigan chaser to pounce on the loose ball to score.

Oldham should be extremely proud of the performance they put in and 1 to 18 left nothing on that pitch.

There seems to be a notable change in this Oldham side since after Christmas and hopefully they can finish the season strongly.

Notable mentions to Josh Cinnermanis with his first start of the season and his best performance to date, Jordan McEwan dictating pace and his defensive efforts, the defensive efforts of Brian Massey who was tireless and relentless to ensure nothing went down his channel.

However, MOM went to Josh Semple for his relentless efforts in both attack and defence.

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