Sambou shines as Roughyeds ease into Challenge Cup fourth round

Head coach Sean Long hailed his side's work ethic as Oldham booked their place in the Betfred Challenge Cup fourth round with a thumping 42-4 win over Barrow.

Jumah Sambou starred with two tries in an electric all-round display, but it was defensively that Roughyeds impressed most, conceding just four points despite a barrage of pressure on their line.

The win sends Oldham into the hat for round 4 and a potential clash with one of Super League's top sides.

"We started really well, our pack set the tone for the game and it snowballed off the back of that," Long told Roughyeds TV.

"Our spine was really calm and we had good cohesion in our team but credit to our defence."

Long started Danny Craven at full-back, with Riley Dean partnering Josh Drinkwater in the halves, but it was Sambou who got the ball rolling with Oldham's first attack.

Barrow had no answer to the young centre's power, Kieran Dixon missing the conversion in fierce winds.

Barrow responded well and enjoyed some good pressure with the penalty count firmly in the visitors' favour, but could find no way through, Mo Agoro flying out of the line to turn over possession before finishing off the set a minute later for an 8-0 lead after Ramon Silva's sin-binning.

Dixon scored the third on the half hour as he touched down Drinkwater's precision kick, Dixon again unable to drive the conversion into the wind, Oldham leading 12-0.

There was one more score before the break when Craven had the ball stripped over the line, allowing Iain Thornley to touch down, Dixon this time adding the extras for an 18-0 half-time lead.

It was more of the same after the interval as Oldham went for the kill, sub Pat Moran spinning to score and Riley Dean gathering a Drinkwater chip for another try, both converted by Dixon for 30-0 lead.

Craven - from a lovely delayed Drinkwater pass - and Sambou added two more, with Barrow finally earning a consolation in the corner from Andrew Bulman.

"They threw a lot at us and we held them out until the last couple of minutes," said Long.

"We kept turning up for each other and that's what gets you over the line. It is the culture of the lads that was engrained into them last year.

"They are buying into it and we won't be out-worked.

"The lads enjoy it so it is credit to them and I am really proud."

The draw for round 4 takes place next Saturday evening on BBC2, with Oldham kicking off their Betfred Championship evening the following afternoon when York visit Boundary Park.

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