OLDHAM 24 SHEFFIELD EAGLES 12
IAN WILSON, Boundary Park, Sunday
OLDHAM held out to claim a tenth league win from what was very much a game of two halves.
It might have been thought the home team would have little difficulty in accounting for a struggling Sheffield side seeking to avoid a twelfth defeat of what is turning out to be a pretty dismal season for them.
And at half-time, with the score 20-4, the expectation appeared to be being fulfilled. But the second period was a different story altogether.
Two scores without reply for the visitors during the third quarter, together with a mountain of both possession and field position, left Oldham desperately hanging on.
And time after time, it was only their very impressive defence that kept them ahead, as Craig Lingard’s side battered their line.
Eventually, two minutes from time, Josh Drinkwater once again demonstrated his genuine class at this level by taking the Eagles line on himself, and somehow managing a half-break sufficient to put the supporting Owen Farnworth over.
Huge credit to the prop for being there, it should be said, but the halfback once again proved how vital he now is for Sean Long’s team.
Oldham had begun the contest in dominant mood, and even during the initial testing-each-other-out period, had far the better of the field position.
After a poor Ben O’Keefe pass to his winger Mo Agoro meant an opportunity went begging, it didn’t take long for things to be rectified.
In the 14th minute, simple passing left allowed powerhouse backrower Matty Ashurst to burst through and touch down easily. Kieran Dixon converted.
Then from their next attack, it was Ashurst again who scored, after a marvellous Ben Davies leap in-goal snared a Drinkwater last-tackle chip.
There followed a period when Sheffield gained some momentum, and it duly resulted in a quality score.
It was a clever long cut-out pass by halfback Connor Bower which freed winger Ryan Millar to score wide out – but the conversion attempt by Bower failed, as did Sheffield’s other two (by Josh Hodson and Danny Craven) during the second half.
A reliable goal-kicker could have eventually made it a two-point game going into the final quarter.
After Millar’s try, there was a short period of relative parity, but then Oldham’s potent left-side attack was instrumental in two further scores which seemed to have put the game beyond the visitors.
In the 34th minute, Davies, who ran hard and strong throughout, as well as showing what a quality defensive centre he is, made a clean break from halfway, and sent flying winger Dixon racing down the left sideline to score a try he goaled.
And then, just before the half-time hooter, efficient passing left again gave Davies the chance to put Dixon clear.
The second half began with Oldham showing remarkable carelessness in possession for a side placed in the top four, and Sheffield duly took encouragement.
An atrocious dummy-half pass in the 44th minute 40 metres from their own line allowed a startled Craven, back on his recent stomping ground after he and Morgan Smith swapped clubs, to pick up and race untouched to the line.
And further Craven-inspired attacks, mainly down Oldham’s right, as well as the concession by the home side of a series of penalties and repeat sets, brought a third try when the evergreen Kris Welham latched on to a loose ball inside Oldham’s 20-metre zone.
Then came serious Oldham defensive commitment – and finally Farnworth’s match-settling score.
GAMESTAR: Kieran Dixon, on his return to the Oldham side after a broken arm, put in a convincing attacking display on the left wing, with his two tries being crucial.
GAMEBREAKER: Only when Josh Drinkwater put Owen Farnworth over in the 78th minute could the Roughyeds breathe easily.
MATCHFACTS
OLDHAM
31 Phoenix Laulu-Togaga’e
5 Mo Agoro
24 Ben O’Keefe
38 Ben Davies
2 Kieran Dixon
34 Morgan Smith
23 Josh Drinkwater
10 Owen Farnworth
9 Matty Wildie
15 Jay Chapelhow
11 Matty Ashurst
17 Elijah Taylor
13 Adam Milner
Subs (all used)
19 Ted Chapelhow
40 Eloi Pelissier
20 Jack Johnson
21 Lewis Baxter
Tries: Ashurst (14, 17), Dixon (34, 40), Farnworth (78)
Goals: Dixon 2/5
EAGLES
26 Jack Walker
21 Ryan Millar
3 Kris Welham
33 Josh Hodson
29 Billy Walkley
36 Danny Craven
11 Connor Bower
8 Eddie Battye
9 Corey Johnson
16 Blake Broadbent
12 Joel Farrell
23 Alex Foster
13 Titus Gwaze
Subs (all used)
14 Reiss Butterworth
30 Martyn Reilly
24 Oliver Roberts
18 Jack Bussey
Tries: Millar (30), Craven (44), Welham (58)
Goals: Bower 0/1, Hodson 0/1, Craven 0/1
SCORING SEQUENCE: 6-0, 10-0, 10-4, 16-4, 20-4; 20-8, 20-12, 24-12
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Oldham: Kieran Dixon; Eagles: Danny Craven
Penalty count: 4-6
Half-time: 20-4
Referee: Scott Mikalauskas