Stylish Oldham thump Cougars to take control of title race

Oldham produced their best performance of the season to thrash title rivals Keighley 44-6 in front of a huge crowd at Boundary Park to move three points clear at the top of Betfred League 1.

Mo Agoro and Jack Johnson scored two tries each, with Brad Gallagher, Danny Craven and captain Jordan Turner also crossing in a dominant display watched by 2,572 - Oldham's biggest home league crowd since 2008.

"The fans deserve that performance for supporting us everywhere we go," head coach Sean Long told Roughyeds TV.

"We did that for them, that performance was for the fans.

"It was probably one of the best performances of the season.

"We were hungry, really hungry to get the win."

The Roughyeds still have to go back to Cougar Park, and to Rochdale next weekend, but this victory, and performance makes Oldham heavy favourites to be promoted automatically as champions.

Long handed debuts to former Warrington half-back Riley Dean - who only landed from Australia on Tuesday - and on-loan Salford prop Adam Sidlow and took an early lead when former Keighley winger Agoro took Dean's pass to score in the corner after back-to-back penalties.

Kieran Dixon's touchline conversion was wide with his only miss of the afternoon.

Skipper Turner grabbed the second midway through the first half as he powered over on the last tackle for a 10-0 lead.

Dixon added a penalty before Gallagher extended the lead following smart work from hooker Matty Wildie, Dixon's conversion and another penalty giving Oldham a 20-0 lead that their performance deserved.

Keighley contained the Roughyeds early after the break, with experienced forward Joe Wardle limping off with a tight calf, but Agoro strolled in for his second thanks to unselfish play from Jack Johnson for a 26-0 lead that never looked like being relinquished.

Jordan Schofield did cross for the visitors but it did little to quell the appetite of Long's men who fired back again with a trademark Craven dummy and finish, and two late scores from Johnson in the corner - Johnson was only brought into the team on the morning of the game after Ben O'Keefe was ruled out.

The 44-6 win was as comprehensive as the scoreline suggests and marks an emphatic response to Oldham's lacklustre defeat at Keighley two months ago.

"We stripped it right back as we knew that Keighley were a really good side," Long added.

"We did the basics right, our D was on point and our completion was high.

"Our game management pleased me the most, they are working their backsides off for each other and are getting the rewards.

"I'm over the moon that the lads have come up with that performance."

Long also praised his two debutants, as well as Dixon who was playing just his second game in an Oldham shirt.

He added: "Riley did really well considering he just got off the plane on Tuesday to slot in and do that. He was really calm which allowed DC to play his normal game and Craven was outstanding today.

"Sidlow was coming off the back fence and getting us on the front foot and I thought both debutants were outstanding.

"Dixon is going to be a fans favourite for sure, he slots the goals, his yardage carries got us out of a bit of trouble too.

"We just focus on ourselves and the standards that we set.

"Our defence is always good, we are only conceding six points a game.

"Credit our lads who just kept turning up for each other."

Oldham team: Laulu-Togaga'e, Agoro, Jack Johnson, Turner, Dixon, Craven, Dean, Farnworth, Wildie, J Chapelhow, Gallagher, Wardle. Moran.

Subs: Aldridge, T Chapelhow, Josh Johnson, Sidlow.

18th man: Astley.

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