OLDHAM 34 HALIFAX PANTHERS 10
IAN WILSON, Boundary Park, Sunday
TWO sides that began the season perhaps unexpectedly well, but have recently gone off the boil a little, might have been expected to produce a tight game, with a close and unpredictable outcome.
In blustery conditions at Boundary Park, however, nothing could have been further from the truth.
The home side produced an almost perfect first half, and although the second was better contested by Fax, the destination of the eventual spoils was never really in doubt.
Both team selections showed two debut appearances, with both young French winger Mathieu Pons and this week’s capture from Warrington, Zane Musgrove, having impressive outings for the Roughyeds.
Maxime Jobe had a decent game off the bench for the Panthers, though big name David Nofoaluma in their centre, to be charitable, looked as though he needed the run-out.
With their pack very much second best from the off, and therefore their ballplayers living off scraps, Halifax had few who impressed, other than the two wingers, who ran very impressively when they had the ball in hand, particularly out of yardage.
For the Roughyeds, on the other hand, candidates for man-of-the match were plentiful.
Phoenix Laulu-Togagae, as always, ran elusively, but also made several vital try-saving tackles, and Ben Davies, in addition to his two tries, made impressive yardage, as well as putting in a most efficient tackling stint.
All their forwards, effectively five props, made huge ground, often in contact, so that the home halfbacks were given copious amounts of time and space – which they both used very creatively.
In particular, it is difficult to bring to mind Josh Drinkwater ever being tackled, so good was the use he made of the ball.
Oldham’s dominance began in their first set with the ball, which finished with Davies using both footwork and power to score in the left corner.
And soon afterwards, in Oldham’s next attack, Pons opened his account for the club in almost identical manner. Drinkwater’s two superb conversions, in difficult conditions, merely added to the early pressure Kyle Eastmond’s side must have already been feeling – in fact he kicked three more later, with his failed effort striking a post, also from the touchline.
Fax probably had the majority of field position during the first half-hour of the contest, with the very strong wind behind them. But Oldham’s defence was outstanding and then, in the 27th minute, in only their third serious attack, the home side struck again, this time Ryan Lannon bursting over after good work by Musgrove.
Ted Chapelhow’s simple touchdown under the posts after a Drinkwater grubber just before the interval was mishandled by the Halifax cover and merely cemented what was a marvellous first 40 minutes of rugby by Oldham.
Although the second half was more closely contested, apart from a quality and fully deserved try by Johnson from close range in the 54th minute, and a similar riposte by Davies again four minutes later, defences were generally on top during this phase of the contest.
Maybe a bit of relaxation crept in, though, towards the finish, when first Matty Ashurst took a quality short offload by Musgrove to touch down under the posts, and then James Woodburn-Hall bust a tackle to go over in the 78th minute.
But 34-10 was certainly a fair reflection of the difference in performance quality displayed by the two sides on the day.
GAMESTAR: Josh Drinkwater controlled affairs for Oldham majestically throughout.
GAMEBREAKER: A Halifax comeback in the second half never really seemed on, but Ben Davies’ second try, in the 58th minute, made it absolutely certain.
MATCHFACTS
OLDHAM
31 Phoenix Laulu-Togaga’e
5 Mo Agoro
38 Ben Davies
7 Riley Dean
39 Mathieu Pons
6 Danny Craven
23 Josh Drinkwater
30 George Hirst
14 Bailey Aldridge
15 Jay Chapelhow
11 Matty Ashurst
37 Ryan Lannon
13 Adam Milner
Subs (all used)
– Zane Musgrove
19 Ted Chapelhow
40 Eloi Pelissier
8 Gil Dudson
Tries: Davies (2, 58), Pons (14), Lannon (27), T Chapelhow (37), Ashurst (72)
Goals: Drinkwater 5/6
PANTHERS
1 Louis Jouffret
2 Ben Tibbs
23 David Nofoaluma
20 Brad Graham
21 Alfie Johnson
6 James Woodburn-Hall
7 Jack Hansen
11 Owen McCarron
9 Adam O’Brien
16 Ronan Dixon
19 Zack McComb
12 Adam Tangata
13 Jacob Fairbank
Subs (all used)
14 Tom Inman
17 Will Calcott
15 Connor Davies
22 Maxime Jobe
Tries: Johnson (54), Woodburn-Hall (78)
Goals: Jouffret 1/2
SCORING SEQUENCE: 6-0, 12-0, 18-0, 24-0; 24-4, 28-4, 34-4, 34-10
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Oldham: Josh Drinkwater; Panthers: Alfie Johnson
Penalty count: 5-4
Half-time: 24-0
Referee: Matty Lynn
Attendance: 1,998
