ROCHDALE HORNETS 14 OLDHAM 32
CHARLIE BOYER, Crown Oil Arena, Sunday

OLDHAM had to work hard for their derby day victory over Rochdale in front of a four-figure crowd, who turned out for Hornets’ last match of the season.

It was them who struck first after just three minutes.

Jack Hansen’s high kick caused problems for the Oldham defence and Dan Nixon managed to pluck the ball out of the air for the game’s first try.

Jordan Paga thought he had doubled his side’s lead just after the ten-minute mark as he latched on to the end of a loose ball to slice through a gap in the Oldham defence, but he was denied by an offside call in the build-up.

The Roughyeds drew level not long after with Jack Walker profiting from a mistake deep inside the Rochdale half to touch down, before ex-Rochdale man Ben O’Keefe missed the conversion attempt from wide out. 

Twelve minutes before the break Luke Forber, another former Hornet, scrambled to score in the corner to put Oldham in front for the first time.

Alan Kilshaw’s side started to take a hold of the game and just minutes later, Ben Davies was on the end of a high kick to add his name to the scoresheet before O’Keefe converted for the first time from in front of the sticks.

Oldham’s fourth try of the afternoon came off the back of nobody in a Rochdale shirt managing to deal with a loose ball, which Forber pounced on to race away for his brace, with O’Keefe’s kick just managing to sneak over the crossbar.

Right on the stroke of half-time, the visitors landed a hammer blow as Matty Ashurst crashed over from close range before O’Keefe took the advantage to 22 points at the break.

After an error-strewn opening to the second half, the first major talking point when Josh Drinkwater caught Flanagan with a high shot, narrowly avoiding a yellow card.

As tempers started to fray, Oldham’s Ted Chapelhow was shown a yellow card for a late hit and almost straight away, the home side took advantage of their extra man as Jack Hansen managed to chase on to the end of a low kick with Flanagan adding the conversion.

Hansen almost had his second ten minutes from time after Flanagan got his side to within 20 metres of the Oldham line but hesitated at the last moment and was halted by fullback Walker.

Despite a sustained period of pressure from Gary Thornton’s side, they couldn’t make their chances pay.

Any lingering hopes of a comeback were finally extinguished five minutes from time as Bayley Liu burst through the defence to score before O’Keefe converted.

There was to be a late consolation for the hosts however as TJ Boyd produced a spectacular length of the field effort to reduce the deficit.

Oldham will now go in to the play offs in great form to face Widnes this weekend, while there are plenty of positives for Rochdale to take into 2027 as their season comes to a close.

GAMESTAR: Luke Forber came back to haunt his former club, looked threatening throughout and was at the double as he helped his side to a derby win.

GAMEBREAKER: Matty Ashurst’s try right on half-time gave the visitors a big lead, one which never slipped in the second half.

MATCHFACTS

HORNETS
1 Max Flanagan
2 Dan Nixon
3 Tom Ashton
4 Junior Sa’u
22 TJ Boyd
7 Jordan Paga
25 Jack Hansen
34 Mark Ioane
9 Ross Whitmore
23 Chris Barratt
11 Matty Unsworth
12 Ethan Wood
13 Jordan Syme
Subs (all used)
8 Jaden Dayes
10 Lewis Hatton
19 Luke Waterworth
28 Dan Hackney

Tries: Nixon (3), Hansen (62), Boyd (79)
Goals: Flanagan 1/3

OLDHAM
1 Jack Walker
33 Josh Simm
3 Ben O’Keefe
21 Tom Nisbet
27 Luke Forber
4 Ben Davies
23 Josh Drinkwater
12 Ryan Lannon
9 Matty Wildie
10 Owen Farnworth
11 Matty Ashurst
32 Valu Tanē Bentley
30 Finn Irwin
Subs (all used)
7 Tom Forber
15 Ted Chapelhow
27 Bayley Liu
35 Noah High

Tries: Walker (15), L Forber (28, 36), Davies (33), Ashurst (39), Liu (75)
Goals: O’Keefe 4/6
Sin bin: Chapelhow (60) – late tackle

SCORING SEQUENCE: 4-0, 4-4, 4-8, 4-14, 4-20, 4-26; 10-26, 10-32, 14-32


Rugby Leaguer and League Express Men of the Match
Hornets: Lewis Hatton; Oldham: Luke Forber

Penalty count: 10-5
Half-time: 4-26
Referee: Scott Mikalauskas
Attendance: 2,087