OLDHAM 18 DONCASTER 10
KASEY SMITH, Boundary Park, Friday
OLDHAM marked their return to Boundary Park with a hard-fought victory over Doncaster, extending their winning streak to eight in the Championship.
After more than seven months away, Oldham made a triumphant return to the town, with a crowd several hundred bigger than the one that had watched them at Stalybridge’s Bower Fold just a fortnight earlier.
While Roughyeds’ performances on the field have not stopped improving this year, events behind the scenes have been far more turbulent, culminating in the resignation of long-time backer Bill Quinn.
Oldham’s future may well be uncertain, but if this group of players can be kept together they will no doubt be challengers when the knockout rounds come round, having overcome in-form Doncaster, who had led unbeaten London for over an hour prior to this game.
Roughyeds opened the scoring with a superb move down the left. Bibby, out wide, delayed his pass perfectly before releasing Luke Forber, who finished acrobatically in the corner as Boundary Park erupted.
Shortly after, Oldham were in again. Josh Drinkwater was at the heart of it, selling a brilliant dummy that carved open a huge gap in the Dons defence. Bibby needed no second invitation, powering over the line as the visitors were left stunned.
Bizarrely, following Dean’s missed conversion, play was suspended for six minutes, due to a drone flying over Boundary Park.
Despite the size and physicality of the Dons pack, it was Alan Kilshaw’s men who dictated the majority of the tempo.
The game was played largely on Oldham’s terms, with the South Yorkshire side only enjoying meaningful possession in the final third in the second forty. The achievement was made even more impressive by the fact the Dons had benefited from a two-week break, while Oldham were working on just a five-day turnaround.
More Drinkwater magnificence came up trumps for Oldham again. He clutched Muizz Mustapha’s pass out of the air and darted off before outwitting full-back Tom Holmes, too, weaving his way over for a crushing score.
Just before the break, Edene Gebbie looked certain to score in the corner, but it took a superb defensive effort from Oldham to force the prolific try-scorer into touch.
The Dons did hit back shortly after the restart with a try that would have frustrated Oldham, as Jacob Jones crashed over from close range completely unchallenged.
It was now Doncaster stepping up the pressure, and a well-placed short kick from Cory Aston forced Oldham into conceding a goal-line drop-out, with the Dons sensing blood. However, the momentum quickly slipped away when Mustapha spilled the ball in front of the posts.
The away side kept battling away, though, with Roughyeds absorbing several waves of Dons attacks.
Yet Oldham weren’t finished. The introduction of Ted Chapelhow from the bench injected fresh energy, and they stretched their advantage on the hour mark when Drinkwater picked out Jack Walker, who spun through from close range to score.
Doncaster weren’t being broken down that easily, and a Bibby handling error allowed Alex Sutcliffe to reduce the arrears, with the move coming directly from the scrum.
With just six left on the clock, Gebbie almost snuck through, but Tom Nisbet was alert to prevent him getting over.
He was too alert, though, as a penalty was awarded for offside. The next move, however, soon broke down due to a Holmes handling error.
Doncaster’s lack of cutting edge, in good territory, had cost them, as the points went the way of Oldham.
GAMESTAR: Josh Drinkwater was at the heart of all what was good for Oldham.
GAMEBREAKER: Jack Walker’s try on the hour-mark gave Roughyeds enough breathing room to keep the Dons at bay.
MATCHFACTS
ROUGHYEDS
1 Jack Walker
21 Tom Nisbet
4 Ben Davies
5 Jake Bibby
29 Luke Forber
7 Riley Dean
23 Josh Drinkwater
15 Ted Chapelhow
9 Matty Wildie
18 Jaron Purcell
11 Matty Ashurst
16 Ewan Moore
13 Adam Milner
Subs (all used)
6 Morgan Smith
10 Owen Farnworth
22 Tom McKinney
12 Ryan Lannon
Tries: Forber (10), Bibby (13), Drinkwater (32), Walker (60)
Goals: Dean 1/4
DONS
1 Tom Holmes
26 Mitieli Vulikijapani
3 Brad Hey
12 Alex Sutcliffe
18 Edene Gebbie
24 Watson Boas
6 Cory Aston
27 Titus Gwaze
19 Connor Jones
10 Suaia Matagi
14 Jacob Jones
22 Luis Johnson
17 Muizz Mustapha
Subs (all used)
21 Tyla Hepi
13 Loui McConnell
16 Pauli Pauli
11 Sam Smeaton
Tries: Jones (46), Sutcliffe (65)
Goals: Aston 1/2
SCORING SEQUENCE: 4-0, 8-0, 14-0; 14-4, 18-4, 18-10
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Oldham: Josh Drinkwater; Dons: Edene Gebbie
Penalty count: 6-6
Half-time: 14-0
Referee: Matty Lynn
Attendance: 1,177