OLDHAM 26 BATLEY BULLDOGS 6
KASEY SMITH, FLAIR Stadium, Dewsbury, Sunday
OLDHAM earned a hard-fought victory by seeing off a persistent Batley side as anticipation builds for a new era following the takeover by a group led by former players Terry Flanagan and Martin Hall.
It was tightly contested, with the Bulldogs keeping Oldham at bay for long spells, but in a game switched to Dewsbury due to the unavailability of Boundary Park, the ‘home’ side pulled ahead after the hour to make it eleven league wins running.
The new owners were looking on as Alan Kilshaw’s side got the job done again.
The fact the successful run has continued despite the losses of Cole Geyer and Riley Dean, now holding their own in Super League, is testament to Kilshaw and the rest of his players.
Oldham never looked in danger of losing, and enjoyed the lion’s share of possession. They opened the scoring after seven minutes.
Batley, on the other hand, struggled to gain any real foothold in the blustery conditions, gifting Oldham three 20-metre restarts in the first half.
A slick move down the right enabled Tom Nisbet to drift back infield and force his way over for the opening try, converted by Morgan Smith.
Jack Walker then produced a sharp step and change of direction which left Batley grasping at thin air as the fullback sauntered through just before the half-hour, with Smith again adding the goal.
Warrington loanee Jake Thewlis might have had Oldham’s third, but he couldn’t quite cling onto Walker’s fiercely-fired pass.
While Oldham may have preferred a bigger cushion on the scoreboard, they had, at least, restricted Batley to just a single look at their line.
James Ford’s side forced their way back into the contest in the second half when Robbie Butterworth was found in space out wide, leaving Thewlis all at sea.
The try, converted by Ben Reynolds, came just minutes after Thewlis had been denied what he thought was a try, with officials ruling he had knocked on when he flew off the line to intercept a pass.
In a lapse in discipline by Batley, Michael Ward attempted a lazy shot which was penalised, allowing Smith to calmly slot over an easy two points and make it 14-6.
Oldham earned themselves further breathing space when Nisbet got on the end of Smith’s lofted kick, collecting it well before powering over to score.
Smith slotted over another penalty-goal, then Jake Bibby also got in on the try-scoring act, with Smith kicking the extra two points.
GAMESTAR: Oldham fullback Jack Walker was a metre-making machine and at the heart of many of his side’s attacks.
GAMEBREAKER: When Tom Nisbet claimed Morgan Smith’s kick to score Oldham’s third, you felt Batley would not be coming back.
MATCHFACTS
OLDHAM
1 Jack Walker
21 Tom Nisbet
5 Jake Bibby
3 Ben O’Keefe
22 Jake Thewlis
6 Morgan Smith
23 Josh Drinkwater
15 Ted Chapelhow
9 Matty Wildie
12 Ryan Lannon
11 Matty Ashurst
26 Brad Day
13 Adam Milner
Subs (all used)
3 Ben Davies
7 Ben Hartill
16 Ewan Moore
27 Bayley Liu
Tries: Nisbet (7, 61), Walker (28), Bibby (80)
Goals: Smith 5/6
BULLDOGS
1 Robbie Butterworth
2 Joe Burton
23 Felix Ellis
20 Jack Hudson
3 Ollie Greensmith
6 Ben Reynolds
7 Josh Woods
17 Liam Kirk
9 Alistair Leak
30 Jimmy Beckett
11 Dane Manning
15 Nyle Flynn
13 Robson Stevens
Subs (all used)
12 Lucas Walshaw
14 Ben White
16 Michael Ward
28 Mitch Beedle
Tries: Butterworth (49)
Goals: Reynolds 1/1
SCORING SEQUENCE: 6-0, 12-0; 12-6, 14-6, 18-6, 20-6, 26-6
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Oldham: Jack Walker; Bulldogs: Ollie Greensmith
Penalty count: 5-5
Half-time: 12-0
Referee: Ryan Cox