Ford salutes Oldham victory

Roughyeds registered their first win over North Wales in over four years with tries from Zac Baker, Alex Sutton and Logan Astley in an 18-4 victory.

Throughout pre-season, and in the club's first league game, Stuart Littler's side has been renowned for free-flowing attacking play, but they showed another quality at the weekend - their defence.

North Wales, whose forward pack is stacked with powerhouses, made good metres throughout the game, but regularly came up short thanks to Oldham's strong defence who regularly scrambled to keep Crusaders away.

Rob Massam, who has long been a thorn in Oldham’s side, scored his career 200th try for Crusaders' only score of the afternoon.

That the try came deep in the second half was a testament to the Roughyeds defence who, prior to the try, had an answer to every Crusaders attack.

Patrick Ah Van, against his former club, produced a top performance in which he regularly stopped North Wales’ big, commanding props in their tracks.

Last season, Roughyeds took four months to register their first win on the road, and whilst it was not perfect, they defeated Crusaders - who have been League One stalwarts in recent years - in the first game away from home.

Baker, whose sheer strength took him over the line for Oldham's first try, was his usual hard-tackling self.

Baker has proved to be a pivotal asset to Littler since his arrival from Rochdale in the off season.

Joe Hartley was strong again, out on the wing, and he dealt with several high Crusaders kicks with ease and produced some good scrambling defensive work, too.

Once Roughyeds got going, they were tough to get a hold of and North Wales struggled against the tricky Jordan Paga, particularly.

Paga laid the ball off to Baker who bulldozed his way over the line for the first try of the game, which Martyn Ridyard duly converted.

Danny Moss and Owain Abel had chances to score but were denied and Crusaders were made to pay for those missed opportunities.

Sutton, on dual-registration from Wigan, got Oldham’s second try which came from a last play kick from Ridyard who caused the Welsh side problems all afternoon.

The ball went sailing over the Crusaders defender and, as it bounced back, it fell straight into the palms of Sutton who scored unopposed, which Ridyard converted.

Roughyeds, who had not played since their opening win against London Skolars some three weeks ago, were understandably rusty at times.

A couple of stray passes and some indiscipline prevented them from having a more comfortable lead going into the break at half time.

The moment of the game, which put a Crusaders come-back to bed, came from a quick interchange of passes across the line, which allowed Connor Carr to break through the Crusaders defence. 

He galloped down the wing and offloaded it to Astley, who ran the ball under the sticks for another six points.

Afterwards, North Wales came closer to a try, and Lewis Baxter looked as if he had scored, but Paga somehow kept him at bay.

But Joe Hartley, who put in a huge effort, was unable to stop Rob Massam from getting a North Wales consolation try.

Oldham, who weren’t at their best, showed all the qualities of a top side in this hard-fought victory in Colwyn Bay, and are now one of only three League 1 sides still unbeaten.

OLDHAM TEAM: Astley; Hartley, Morgan, Sutton, Ah Van; Ridyard, Paga; Meadows, Wilkinson, Nelmes, Ferry, Baker, Whittel

Subs: Carr, Slater, Blagbrough, Hirst

The victorious Oldham team later received a verbal pat on the back from former Roughyeds star Mike Ford, one of the five-man consortium that has bought the club.

Said Ford: "Players and coaches will be delighted with this win.

"Their last-gasp defence was very good and Martyn Ridyard's kicking game was excellent.

"Several times his kicks got us out of our own half and deep into theirs.

"Our third and final try followed a smart shift to the left and a great execution to finish.

"What a start - two games, two wins."

Roughyeds sit third in the Betfred League 1 table behind Dewsbury Rams (four wins from four) and Doncaster (three wins from three).

The top three are the only unbeaten teams in the division.

Other League 1 results: Cornwall 35, London Skolars 10; Midlands Hurricanes 28, Workington Town 38; Rochdale Hornets 4, Dewsbury Rams 52.

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