OLDHAM coach Sean Long says lessons will be learned from this year’s play-off disappointment as he continues his efforts to help bring the good times back for supporters in one of Rugby League’s most historic locations.

The Roughyeds have made serious strides since the takeover of the club, the original version of whom were Northern Union founder members in 1895, by a consortium headed by former player, coach and now managing director Mike Ford in March 2023.

Long was appointed on a three-year contract the following October as the Yeds  prepared to move to Boundary Park, the 13,000-capacity home of football club Oldham Athletic, with the long-term objective of reaching Super League (an application for which has been made).

He led his charges out of League One as 2024 champions, and this year, they finished fourth in the second tier, only to fall flat in their play-off eliminator, crashing to a 40-4 home defeat by Halifax, who are coached by Oldham-born Kyle Eastmond.

“It was a big blow to go out of the play-offs,” said Long, whose side had lost 40-14 at home to Featherstone, whom he previously coached, in the 1895 Cup semi-finals in May.

“It seems like we saved our worst performances of the season for two big knockout games, and I need to have a good at why that happened and how to fix it.

“We all need a bit of a break, because we started training in October last year, and the lads have been working hard ever since, but we’ll come back for pre-season, knuckle down, and do everything we can to improve and be ready for another big year.”

Skipper Matty Wildie added: “It was tough to take. Credit to Halifax, because they played knockout rugby the way it should be played, but we crumbled when faced by a bit of adversity and we just weren’t good enough.”