Oldham RU appear to be turning a much-needed corner

Things have definitely seemed to have taken a turn for the better at Oldham RUFC, especially since Littleborough away just before Christmas.

Albeit not necessarily in the results, but definitely in the performances and cohesion of the Manor Park side.

On Saturday they drew 21-21 at a strong Sefton side.

Again Oldham travelled with a number of changes, unavailability of regulars such as Isaac Dobbs and Louis Fitton, opened up opportunities for others to prove their worth, including Lewis Bullen, who returned for his first game this season.

The game started a fairly scrappy contest with both teams testing each other out.

Strong forward carries from Nick Hackman, Jack Taylor, Josh Semple and Chris Shaw moved Oldham up the pitch, but a good turnover from Sefton near the line alleviated any pressure.

It was then Sefton who continued to turn the screw, with some direct carries and neat handling out wide.

But, with what has become characteristic of Oldham’s strong defence in recent weeks, they continued to hold strong.

Thanks to fine defensive work from Hackman, Semple, Phil Conroy, Sean Carter and Brian Massey.

Unfortunately Massey’s efforts were to be short lived as an unfortunately clash of heads in the tackle, resulted in him coming off worse and having to be removed from the game.

With Reece Blakeley joining the pitch in his place in the backline.

Alas, the continued pressure from the Merseyside team eventually became too much.

When the Sefton number 8 picked from base of the resulting scrum and charged over the line to score. What occurred next I’m still yet to fathom.

Even though the ball had been placed down and the try was certain, the referee deemed a high tackle had occurred as the try was being scored in the corner, as a result awarded a penalty try (two points which resultantly proved costly) and a yellow card to the Oldham back rower.

With play continuing and Sefton seeming to be getting the rub of the green, it wasn’t long before their pressure paid off again.

The referee awarding them a penalty in front of the sticks, for a late challenge, which again resulted in yet another Oldham player being shown a yellow card.

Sefton, acknowledging Oldham were down by two forwards, opted to go for the scrum.

With a dominant scrum the home side set the platform upfront.

Despite two great chop tackles on the bounce from winger Josh Cinnermanis, who had stepped into flanker for the set piece, Sefton capitalised on the numbers mismatch and went over for their second of the afternoon under the sticks.

With an easy conversion it was a dream start for the home team, with the scores at 14-0.

However, much credit must go to this new revitalised Oldham side.

Unlike earlier in the season, where decisions, and the score, not going their way would have just imploded, they knuckled down and let the rugby do the talking.

They soon reaped the rewards for this thanks to some excellent interplay in the backline from Jordan McEwan and Alex Jobson, who danced around defenders before offloading to the returning Tom Davies.

Davies with a neat chip over the top, putting the opposition winger under pressure, who was met with a perfectly-timed chase from Cinnermanis, who bundled him into touch.

Much to the dismay of the home side this resulted in an Oldham penalty. With the away sides dander well and truly up,

Davies kicked for the corner.

A fine driving maul set the perfect platform for a well executed backs set play.

An incisive pass from McEwan to Jobson whose perfectly timed run opened up a large gap in the Sefton defence to score Oldham’s first of the match, under the sticks.

Jobson converted his own try with ease to make it Sefton 14, Oldham 7.

This was the last play of the half, with not much between the two sides at the break.

Changes at the break saw Shaw and Cinnermanis make way for a well earned breather, for the returning Bullen.

Bullen was straight into the action with a strong tackle from the Kick Off, putting the Sefton attack under immediate pressure.

Sefton looked to go wide before a great ball steal in the tackle from Jobson unleashed Blakeley, who was quickly wrapped up before the afterburners had chance to fire up.

With young Lewis Ward dictating the pace at 9, directing strong carries from Hackman, Taylor, Carter and Rhys Jones, Oldham continued to work deep into the Sefton half.

With Oldham on the ascendancy and the penalty count almost levelling up, Oldham looked to go for the corner.

However, the strong winds, gave the ref no option but to deem a number of resulting lineouts as not straight and Oldham struggled to make any pressure into points.

Sefton, however, managed to work their way back into the Oldham 22, but we’re stopped dead in their tracks thanks to huge hits from Cooper and Paul Wardle.

With the threats keeping on coming, nothing could penetrate the Oldham defence with tackles flying in all across the pitch.

But it was the excellent work of Jobson, who had his best defensive game this season, who forced the turnover before hoofing the ball up field to relieve the pressure.

A fantastic chase by winger Blakeley put the opposition under immense pressure before captain Hackman forced the penalty through a powerful counter ruck.

With Oldham opting for the tap, strong forward carries from Wardle, Carter, Hackman, Taylor and Jones forced yet another penalty catching an offside defender.

Quick thinking back rower Semple, put the ball at his feet and powered over the line to claim Oldham’s second. Jobson adding the extras to tie the score 14 points a piece.

Dissent from the Sefton backrow after the try awarded Oldham a penalty at the restart, Jobson opting to go for goal, came narrowly short as the ball was touched down for a 22m drop out.

A great kick return from fullback Conroy put Oldham back into the opposition half when some quick hands by Jobson from the base to Hackman who unleashed Taylor down the wing.

With a try Jonah Lomu himself would have been proud of, with the power of his newly sported head guard, he barraged through three defenders going 40m, before going over to score.

Jobson adding the extras from the tee, to put Oldham in front for the first time in the game - 14 – 21.

Sefton weren’t for giving up without a fight and they continued to find a run of form that had put them in the lead earlier in the game.

Amidst some favourable decisions from the man in the middle Sefton worked their way up the pitch, putting the Oldham defence under serious threat.

In the dying minutes of the game, that pressure was eventually rewarded as Sefton made their way over the line. With all pressure on the conversion the

Sefton player added the successful conversion and evened up the scores at Sefton 21, Oldham 21.

With the ref calling last play, Oldham won the line out and scrum half Ward decided the result was enough and cleared the ball into touch.

Again a result many wouldn’t have predicted before the game, but a result away from home against a team earlier in the season who had put Oldham to the sword at home.

Coach Jim Forster has been asking everyone to raise their games by just that 1% extra and in recent week that’s definitely what they’ve done.

Man of match on the afternoon was difficult with some fine individual performances from many.

However, the nod was given to skipper Nick Hackman, who led from the front and displayed all round versatility on the day.

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