HALIFAX PANTHERS 12 OLDHAM 28
KASEY SMITH, The Shay, Sunday
OLDHAM stormed to victory with a dominant display at both ends of the field.
Since their setback against Widnes in February, the Roughyeds have hit form, with this fifth straight league win sealing their best run since lifting the League One title in 2024.
Defence has been key, having already kept four opponents scoreless in all competitions, and while there was no shut-out on this occasion, that steeliness was on show again with Oldham regularly denying Halifax on their own line.
Jack Walker appears to be settling into the number one jersey at Oldham, forming a strong understanding with halves Josh Drinkwater and Morgan Smith.
Add to that a sprinkling of Aussie aggression in the pack, and they are looking a more dangerous outfit than the one who finished fourth last year.
Oldham struck first, with Jaron Purcell finishing after Tom Nisbet burst down his wing, catching the Panthers off guard. Riley Dean converted.
The lead did not last long and Halifax, who had won their previous two matches, soon hit back, capitalising on an Owen Farnworth handling error. From the resulting scrum, Ben Tibbs powered over wide out and Kian McGann goaled.
Halifax had a sustained period of pressure on the Oldham line but found no way through as Alan Kilshaw’s men grew in confidence with every drive forward denied.
At the opposite end of the field, Dean burst toward the line and looked set to finish, but chose to offload to Jake Bibby rather than back himself, and the chance slipped away – briefly.
A Halifax knock-on allowed Oldham to sustain the pressure, and Purcell soon found Nisbet, who went over.
Oldham struck a crucial blow three minutes before the hooter. After sustained pressure, Drinkwater’s high, hanging kick was expertly seized by Smith, who pounced after Halifax failed to deal with the danger. Dean’s conversion made it 16-6.
Oldham executed the basics superbly, consistently pinning Halifax deep with well-placed kicks to the corners and forcing them to work out from their own line.
The home team also struggled to cope with Drinkwater’s high hangers – a weakness Oldham exploited again ten minutes after the break, when a loose ball was quickly capitalised on by Walker, who shaped to pass wide before crossing himself. Dean added the two.
Searching for a route back into the contest, Halifax sent a kick deep during one of their few ventures into Oldham territory.
But it couldn’t have unravelled in a worse way as the ball dropped kindly into the hands of Drinkwater, who burst away. Lacking the pace to finish it himself, he offloaded to Bibby, who did the rest, so delivering a decisive blow. Dean converted for a 28-16 lead.
Halifax did not give in and having forced a drop-out as well as earning a set restart, Ben Crooks found his way over. McGann kicked his second goal.
GAMESTAR: Oldham halfback star Josh Drinkwater’s kicks were on the money and caused Halifax a whole lot of trouble.
GAMEBREAKER: Jake Bibby’s try, just as Halifax were looking for a way back in the game, gave Oldham daylight between the two sides.
MATCHFACTS
PANTHERS
1 Kian McGann
2 Ben Tibbs
22 Darius Carter
11 Ben Crooks
5 Alfie Lindsey
20 Vila Halafihi
9 Adam O’Brien
21 Ben Forster
7 Curtis Davies
24 Brandon Douglas
12 Owen McCarron
19 Zack McComb
8 Will Calcott
Subs (all used)
3 Ben Will
13 Jacob Fairbank
15 Connor Davies
18 Hugo Salabio
Tries: Tibbs (10), Crooks (59)
Goals: McGann 2/2
OLDHAM
1 Jack Walker
21 Tom Nisbet
4 Ben Davies
7 Riley Dean
5 Jake Bibby
6 Morgan Smith
23 Josh Drinkwater
15 Ted Chapelhow
9 Matty Wildie
10 Owen Farnworth
11 Matty Ashurst
18 Jaron Purcell
13 Adam Milner
Subs (all used)
12 Ryan Lannon
14 Cole Geyer
22 Max Wood
27 Bayley Liu
Tries: Purcell (7), Nisbet (27), Smith (37), Walker (49), Bibby (54)
Goals: Dean 4/5
SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6, 6-6, 6-10, 6-16; 6-22, 6-28, 12-28
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Panthers: Vila Halafihi; Oldham: Josh Drinkwater
Penalty count: 6-3
Half-time: 6-16
Referee: Ryan Cox
Attendance: 2,123