OLDHAM 36 ROCHDALE HORNETS 10
IAN WILSON, Bower Fold, Friday

FULLBACK Jack Walker’s two tries helped Oldham earn a fourth league win in succession.

This derby has generated lots of thrills and spills down the years, with genuine rivalry always evident both among spectators and on the field.

And this edition, although the scoreboard might not show it, had many similar attributes.

The Roughyeds in the end won by a margin of six tries to two, and so took home the annually-contested Law Cup as well as the two league points.

Rochdale, though, battled impressively throughout, as well as playing some very attractive rugby, and certainly deserved the tries they scored towards the end as a reward for their efforts.

The crucial determining factor was the massive difference in go-forward generated by the two packs.

Both the starting six and the bench replacements Oldham were able to field consistently took the ball on the burst and made huge yards post-contact.

On the other hand, the Hornets men, hard though they tried to run, invariably found themselves stopped and put to ground quickly.

The result was much more space, even in the wet, slippy conditions, for the home side’s playmakers to create gaps. Inevitably, this resulted in a steady accumulation of tries, three in each half.

After a couple of very early errors, Oldham got off the mark in only the sixth minute. Riley Dean created the half-gap, and Jaron Purcell brushed off two challengers to go over to the left of the posts. Dean landed the first of six conversions from six.

And it was via the same route that the second score came 14 minutes later. Rochdale weren’t helping themselves during this phase of the game, conceding five consecutive penalties in just over ten minutes, and after Ted Chapelhow and Owen Farnworth laid a powerful platform, Brad Day at flat-out pace proved unstoppable from 15 metres out.

There was then a period of strong Rochdale pressure, Jordan Paga once being held up over the line, and another time grubbering cleverly to generate six more tackles. A forward pass caused a try in the right-hand corner to be ruled out too.

But the home defence held firm, and then came the score of the game, just before the half-time hooter.

Cole Geyer made a marvellous solo break from dummy-half down centrefield, and there was Walker on his shoulder to do the rest.

Walker added another just four minutes into the second half, this time via a solo, mesmerising run.

And the next try, soon afterwards, featured a brilliant catch and pass by Ben O’Keefe which allowed Jake Bibby to swallow-dive over.

But then, when the contest might have developed into something of a rout, the visitors had another excellent period which first stopped the rot, then brought two scores.

The first, in the 58th minute, followed a spell of pressure in the Oldham half, and a Paga grubber bobbled nastily for the defence, enabling TJ Boyd to dot the ball down.

And then, ten minutes later, slick passing from right to left to right allowed Dan Nixon to capitalise on another grubber, this time by Jack Hansen. Max Flanagan goaled.

But another close-range power-packed solo effort, by Oldham substitute Bayley Liu, concluded proceedings.

GAMESTAR: From several options, Oldham scrum-half Riley Dean, taking on the main playmaker role, just edged the accolade. He was heavily involved in Oldham’s attacks, defended well when needed and kicked superbly.

GAMEBREAKER: At only two tries up approaching halfway, Oldham were still not home and dry, but then Jack Walker’s classy try in the 39th minute made the margin too much for a brave Rochdale to overcome.

MATCHFACTS

OLDHAM
1 Jack Walker
21 Tom Nisbet
4 Ben Davies
3 Ben O’Keefe
5 Jake Bibby
6 Morgan Smith
7 Riley Dean
15 Ted Chapelhow
9 Matty Wildie
10 Owen Farnworth
12 Ryan Lannon
26 Brad Day
18 Jaron Purcell
Subs (all used)
14 Cole Geyer
13 Adam Milner
18 Bayley Liu
19 Max Wood

Tries: Purcell (6), Day (20), Walker (39, 44), Bibby (53), Liu (71)
Goals: Dean 6/6

HORNETS
1 Max Flanagan
2 Dan Nixon
3 Tom Ashton
4 Junior Sa’u
22 TJ Boyd
7 Jordan Paga
25 Jack Hansen
8 Jaden Dayes
14 George Roby
34 Chris Barratt
12 Ethan Wood
24 Ben Metcalfe
9 Ross Whitmore
Subs (all used)
19 Luke Waterworth
10 Lewis Hatton
28 Charlie McKler
18 Isaac Reid

Tries: Boyd (58), Nixon (68)
Goals: Flanagan 1/2

SCORING SEQUENCE: 6-0, 12-0, 18-0; 24-0, 30-0, 30-4, 30-10, 36-10

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Oldham: Riley Dean; Hornets: Jordan Paga

Penalty count: 10-4
Half-time: 18-0
Referee: Kevin Moore
Attendance: 1,376