HALIFAX PANTHERS 20 OLDHAM 23
KASEY SMITH, Bartercard Odsal, Bradford, Sunday
JOSH DRINKWATER, fresh from signing a contract extension for next season, shone as Oldham survived a scare to return to winning ways in what was a hard-fought contest.
Halifax, playing the first of a number of ‘home’ games at Bradford due to work a a new pitch at The Shay, launched a relentless assault in the closing stages and narrowed the gap to just three points.
But the Roughyeds mainly stood their ground with unwavering resolve. Despite facing six-again calls and penalties, they kept the Panthers at bay.
In the first meeting of these two this season, Oldham won comfortably, but they had to be on the top of their game to finally break down Halifax this time.
The Yorkshire side, who stormed into the season with impressive form, have recently hit a rough patch.
Like Oldham, their dip came amid a spate of injuries. However, with a stronger and more-experienced line-up, they proved a match for the team from over the tops.
There was little to separate the sides, but it was Oldham who were the more polished in terms of ball discipline.
Halifax were quick off their line and were often looking for interceptions, but unfortunately for them, that aided Oldham, especially in the first half.
They played the long game, not getting rocked by the periods of Halifax pressure, and struck at crucial moments.
Louis Jouffret at stand-off was the main outlet for Halifax, but Oldham were strong, in particular centre Ben O’Keefe, who was back in the side after a lengthy lay-off and did not let anything go through him.
Halifax opened the scoring after twelve minutes, capitalising on a penalty and a six-again, and Owen McCarron powered through off drop-off ball from Jack Hansen, who kicked the conversion.
But Oldham hit back after Halifax conceded a goal-line drop-out from Drinkwater’s restart.
Moments later, it was Drinkwater’s pin-point kick which created the try. He launched a high, diagonal ball which Ben Davies expertly claimed in the left corner with a towering leap, and then finished. Drinkwater added the goal.
Oldham took the lead just before the half-hour mark through Mathieu Pons, who pounced on a loose ball wide out after a moment of chaos sparked by a Halifax player’s touch on Drinkwater’s pass while it was in flight.
Moments before the break, Davies was caught high, giving Danny Craven the chance to drill a field-goal after the hooter as he caught Halifax off guard as they anticipated half-time.
Oldham burst into life soon after the break, with Eloi Pelissier breaking through from dummy-half. The Frenchman had the sprinting Phoenix Laulu-Togaga’e in support, and the fullback scored under the posts. Drinkwater added the two for 17-6.
Halifax hit back through Ben Tibbs, who dived over wide out. Referee Scott Mikalauskas initially held off on awarding the try, eventually confirming it after consulting a touchjudge, who ruled that the ball had been knocked on by Pons rather than the Halifax man.
Back-to-back penalties allowed Drinkwater to orchestrate another Oldham score and it was a real moment of class. First he feigned a huge pass to open up a gap and then executed a cute hand-off to the onrushing Owen Farnworth, who powered over, Drinkwater converted for a 13-point advantage.
But Oldham were caught napping when they allowed the tricky Vila Halafihi to crash over from dummy-half on the hour, and Hansen goaled.
And in the last few minutes, James Saltonstall dived over wide out to set up a nail-biting finish.
Halifax could have won it, but a Jouffret knock-on with a minute to go put the game to bed.
GAMESTAR: Oldham halfback Josh Drinkwater was a class above and a real thorn in Halifax’s side.
GAMEBREAKER: Louis Jouffret’s late knock-on, metres off the Oldham line, prevented Halifax gaining a late lead.
MATCHFACTS
PANTHERS
23 David Nofoaluma
5 James Saltonstall
3 Charlie Graham
4 Ben Crooks
2 Ben Tibbs
1 Louis Jouffret
7 Jack Hansen
8 Brandon Douglas
9 Adam O’Brien
33 Leon Cowen
11 Owen McCarron
12 Adam Tangata
13 Jacob Fairbank
Subs (all used)
14 Tom Inman
20 Brad Graham
17 Will Calcott
34 Vila Halafihi
Tries: McCarron (12), Tibbs (48), Halafihi (60), Saltonstall (73)
Goals: Hansen 2/4
OLDHAM
31 Phoenix Laulu-Togaga’e
39 Mathieu Pons
38 Ben Davies
24 Ben O’Keefe
20 Jack Johnson
6 Danny Craven
23 Josh Drinkwater
15 Jay Chapelhow
14 Bailey Aldridge
30 George Hirst
11 Matty Ashurst
37 Ryan Lannon
13 Adam Milner
Subs (all used)
40 Éloi Pélissier
10 Owen Farnworth
17 Elijah Taylor
19 Ted Chapelhow
Tries: Davies (15), Pons (28), Laulu-Togaga’e (41), Farnworth (54)
Goals: Drinkwater 3/4
Field-goals: Craven (40)
SCORING SEQUENCE: 6-0, 6-6, 6-10, 6-11; 6-17, 10-17, 10-23, 16-23, 20-23
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Panthers: Louis Jouffret; Oldham: Josh Drinkwater
Penalty count: 6-7
Half-time: 6-11
Referee: Scott Mikalauskas
Attendance: 1,392