Roughyeds rout Newcastle to move one step closer to title glory

Kieran Dixon scored a club-record 36 points and Cian Tyrer score five tries as Oldham thrashed Newcastle 84-0 to move one step closer to the Betfred League 1 title.

The Roughyeds' new winger scored a hat-trick and kicked 12 goals in the biggest win of the season, while top scorer Tyrer celebrated his return to the team with a huge haul and Jumah Sambou marked his Oldham debut with two tries in an impressive all-round performance.

It means Sean Long's men preserve their three-point lead over Keighley at the top with just three games to go, ahead of next Sunday's crucial trip to Cougar Park where the title could be won.

"We said all week we didn't want to drop our standards and the leadership group were driving that, Jordan Turner especially," Long told Roughyeds TV.

Turner also crossed for a try in what was his 400th career appearance.

Long added: "JT was outstanding and has been all year. He has been a nice, calming influence and I said to the lads before we wanted to do this for JT and his family."

Long made several changes against the league's bottom side, with recalls for Tyrer and Jamie Ellis, welcome returns for Danny Craven and George Hirst after injuries and a start for Joe Wardle along with Sambou's debut.

The former St Helens youngster got the ball rolling as Sambou finished powerfully in the right corner after smart work from Ellis, Craven and Dixon. Tyrer then helped himself to finish off a floated Ellis pass before Phoenix Laulu-Togaga'e sent Dixon in as Oldham started with a bang.

Tyrer soon added his second before Ted Chapelhow scooped up a loose ball to run in under the posts and captain Turner finished off a Sambou break, Dixon kicking four of six before the break for a 32-0 interval lead.

There was no let up after half-time either, in fact it got way worse for the visitors.

Sambou added his second, a pinpoint Ellis kick allowed Tyrer to score a simple hat-trick and a wonderful Tyrer offload sent PLT scampering away to proved a try for Bailey Aldridge.

Prop Craig Kopczak then finished off a lightning Dixon break with a swallow dive under the posts.

Sorry Newcastle were out on their feet as Dixon added two more, Tyrer finished off a wonderful break that he started himself before offloading to Sambou, the winger then added a fifth in the corner - his 28th of the season - and Turner sent in PLT for the Roughyeds' 15th try - 12 of them converted by Dixon.

"We spoke about Newcastle's kicking game being quite unique and our back three did a great job defending that. I was really pleased with our back five," Long added.

"Jumah was oustanding, he hasn't played for over 12 months.

"He took his chance and has a shot at keeping that shirt now.

"All the lads who came in played really well so I have a selection headache for Keighley now.

"It is all about us getting our prep right and having the right mentality now to go to Cougar Park.

"We have learned a little bit from last time we played them so we have to now go and get it right."

Tyrer's five tries takes his to 28 for the season in all competitions, meaning he leapfrogs Wigan winger Liam Marshall (26) to again become the top try scorer in all three divisions, despite not playing at all in July.

Oldham can now clinch the title with a win at Keighley next week, with the season concluding at Boundary Park against Cornwall and then Workington.

Oldham team: Laulu-Togaga'e, Tyrer, Sambou, Turner, Dixon, Craven, Ellis, T.Chapelhow, Wildie, Farnworth, Hirst, Wardle, Moran. 

Subs: Aldridge, Lawton, Sidlow, Kopczak.

18th man: Astley.

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