OLDHAM 22 WIDNES VIKINGS 4
IAN WILSON, Park Lane, Sedgley Park, Sunday
OLDHAM took the two points as two clubs with some successes in the past, and with designs on more in the future, met in a competitive game switched to Sedgley Park rugby union ground due to maintenance work on the pitch at Boundary Park.
Both came into the game on the back of excellent results, and a tight match might have been expected.
But in the event, the home side pulled away in the second half, and in the end won reasonably comfortably.
Defences were overall very much on top, with genuine commitment, and especially in the case of the Roughyeds, the scramble being absolutely outstanding almost throughout.
In a way it was a pity that, on the final hooter, one last Widnes attack, after they were twice repulsed between the Oldham posts, led to a clever long lobbed pass allowing Mike Butt on the right wing to power over for his side’s only score of the afternoon.
It was no less than the Vikings’ efforts during the previous 79 minutes deserved, to be fair, but Oldham’s defensive commitment as well as structure really deserved the accolade of a nilling of their opponents.
The first half began, and indeed ended, with the two sides going at each other hammer and tongs, but with little to show for it.
As usual, Josh Drinkwater guided Oldham’s attack around the field, and apart from a major shock when he failed to find touch after an early penalty, his adroit kicking from hand provided what must have seemed an incessant challenge to the Widnes defence.
Indeed it was from one such kick that Oldham scored the only try of the half. In the 14th minute, Drinkwater chipped towards the away side’s posts on the sixth tackle, and a tricky bounce in-goal allowed the following-up Mathieu Pons to touch down easily. Drinkwater converted.
The visitors were unlucky to lose Joe Lyons to injury early, and although both Matty Fozard and Jordan Johnstone tried to compensate, and launched several dangerous raids of their own, and new Australian backrower Ben Condon in particular regularly proved a handful for the defence with ball in hand, there was never quite enough craft to enable a clean break to ensue.
On the half-time hooter, Oldham went down to twelve men when Ben Davies – who otherwise had an excellent game – lost his head in unnecessarily delaying a restart, so one wondered whether the extra man might give the Vikings the edge to get over the line.
But not only was that not the case, but Oldham were able to begin to turn their growing superiority into points even with Davies in the bin, as well as in the period after he returned.
The three tries Oldham scored between minutes 46 and 66, two of them converted, were all different in nature – but they certainly made the game safe.
First simple but efficient passing right from a scrum 15 metres out in front of the Widnes posts gave Mo Agoro the space to get to the corner untouched.
Then Phoenix Laulu-Togaga’e – another who put in an outstanding performance – was put though a huge gap by Ted Chapelhow after George Hirst had made initial inroads, not for the first time, before Lewis Baxter tapped back a bouncing ball into space.
And finally came a simple 20-metre interception try by the alert Ben O’Keefe.
Apart from one superb long break by Morgan McWhirter which came to nothing, then Butt’s try, that was it.
GAMESTAR: Oldham’s George Hirst was superb in defence, and made huge yards, during his time on the field – but in truth he was merely one of a very impressive pack.
GAMEBREAKER: Probably Oldham’s third try, in the 53rd minute, was what sealed their victory – but it was their dominant defensive effort throughout that really won the two points.
MATCHFACTS
OLDHAM
31 Phoenix Laulu-Togaga’e
5 Mo Agoro
24 Ben O’Keefe
38 Ben Davies
39 Mathieu Pons
1 Logan Astley
23 Josh Drinkwater
10 Owen Farnworth
17 Elijah Taylor
15 Jay Chapelhow
11 Matty Ashurst
37 Ryan Lannon
13 Adam Milner
Subs (all used)
19 Ted Chapelhow
40 Eloi Pelissier
30 George Hirst
21 Lewis Baxter
Tries: Pons (14), Agoro (46), Laulu-Togaga’e (53), O’Keefe (66)
Goals: Drinkwater 3/4
Sin bin: Davies (40) – delaying restart
VIKINGS
33 Jake Maizen
5 Mike Butt
11 Rhodri Lloyd
4 Joe Edge
29 Rhys Williams
6 Joe Lyons
14 Matty Fozard
8 Dan Murray
9 Jordan Johnstone
15 Liam Bent
17 Max Roberts
23 Ben Condon
18 Nick Gregson
Subs (all used)
13 Morgan McWhirter
21 Gavin Bennion
28 Ben Hartill
32 Max Wood
Tries: Butt (80)
Goals: Edge 0/1
SCORING SEQUENCE: 6-0; 10-0, 16-0, 22-0, 22-4
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Oldham: George Hirst; Vikings: Matty Fozard
Penalty count: 6-6
Half-time: 6-0
Referee: Matty Lynn