Depleted Oldham RU edged out at Liverpool Collegiate

Oldham RUFC gave it their all before going down 35-30 at Liverpool Colegiate.

Availability was again an issue for Oldham with eight changes in personnel in the 18-man squad.

Nonetheless Oldham fancied an upset against Collegiate who had recently been on a decent return of results.

Oldham started the brightest and took a 3-0 lead through the boot of Alex Jobson.

Collegiate came straight back and answered with a try of their own to make it 5-3 in the home team's favour.

Oldham should have scored when Ross Copper was held up on the line following a 50-yard break from Phil Conroy,

Collegiate were next to answer following a chip through and touchdown which was converted to make it 12-3 in the home team's favour.

Oldham fired back following a catch and drive from the a lineout to hit the backline where Alex Jobson’s superbly timed miss pass hit Louis Fitton out wide for him to canter in from 30 metres out.

It was converted by Jobson to make the score 12-10.

Oldham were playing the better rugby and deserved more but simple errors and penalties were costing them territory.

A further Jobson penalty from 50 metres put Oldham in the lead at 13-12.

Composure and simple rugby was what was needed with only minutes left until half time.

Oldham had possession and just needed to clear the lines, but instead Collegiate turned a scrum over and went in under the posts for a converted try to lead at half time 19-13.

Oldham were straight out of the blocks following a surge from the hard-working Paul Wardle for Owen Hewson running at the line to put Tom Davies through for him to draw the full back and put Jobson over for which he again converted to leave it at 20-19 to Oldham.

Collegiate answered straight back following a quick lineout to go back to 26-20.

A Collegiate penalty extended their lead as Oldham and at 29-20 it looked like Oldham were perhaps tiring.

However, Hewson ran at the line following some good forward surges and Tom Davies ran a superb line and Hewson timed the pass with precision for Davies to score.

Jobson again converted to make it 29-27.

Oldham took the lead back following a further Jobson penalty at 30-29.

Oldham needed composure now to see the game out.

However, moments later a penalty and sin bin for Owen Hewson for offside gave Collegiate a 32-30 lead and a man advantage with 15 minutes left.

The numbers told and further indiscretion from Oldham gave Collegiate a further penalty and a lead of 35-30.

With the minutes quickly ticking away Oldham managed to get some possession up on the Collegiate line, however could not manage to score the vital try to give them the positive result.

Oldham’s man of the match went to Alex Jobson for his kicking off the tea, assist in the Fitton try and try of his own.

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