Rochdale Hornets came from 18-points down to seal a remarkable 38-28 win over Oldham Roughyeds at the Summer Bash.
Alan Kilshaw’s side trailed 26-8 shortly after the half hour mark as their Manchester rivals looked certain to take the points but five tries, with only a penalty goal coming in reply, saw them complete a sensational turnaround in front of the Sky cameras.
Scott Turner gave Oldham an early lead but Miles Greenwood brought Rochdale onto the board soon afterwards.
Jovilisi Taira and Richard Lepori were sinbinned for the Hornets and Roughyeds respectively before Jake Eccleston went over to make it 8-8.
Three unanswered tries saw Oldham give themselves some breathing space however as George Tyson went over before Lepori returned from the bin to complete a quick-fire brace.
Eccleston went over for his second to cut the deficit before Robert Massam followed up Scott Leatherbarrow’s penalty with another Rochdale score.
Ben Moores then went over from dummy half and Jordan Case collected a kick to touchdown, with Daniel Yates’ two goals remarkably levelling the game at 28-28.
Lewis Galbraith collected a knock-on and broke 70 metres to touchdown for what then was made an eight-point try, with Yates nailing both kicks.
Two more successful penalties saw Rochdale’s lead become 10 points and Oldham’s misery was compounded in the final minute when Sam Gee saw red for his part in another brawl, with Yates also being yellow carded.
Oldham: 17 Richard Lepori, 2 Adam Clay, 3 George Tyson, 28 Sam Wood, 1 Scott Turner, 6 Scott Leatherbarrow, 20 Gareth Owen, 27 Nathan Mason, 21 Kenny Hughes, 10 Adam Neil, 14 Luke Adamson, 12 Danny Langtree, 11 Jack Spencer; Subs: 9 Sam Gee, 13 Liam Thompson, 19 Joseph Burke, 24 Michael Ward.
Tries: Turner, Tyson, Lepori 2; Goals: Leatherbarrow 6.
Rochdale: 2 Christopher Riley, 1 Miles Greenwood, 3 Jake Eccleston, 4 Lewis Galbraith, 5 Robert Massam, 6 Lewis Palfrey, 7 Daniel Yates, 15 Jovilisi Taira, 14 Ryan Maneely, 10 Gavin Bennion, 11 Jonathan Smith, 12 Joshua Crowley, 13 Gary Middlehurst; Subs: 9 Ben Moores, 17 Lee Mitchell, 16 Matthew Hadden, 19 Jordan Case.
Tries: Greenwood, Eccleston 2, Massam, Moores, Case, Galbraith; Goals: Yates 5.
More details from this game will feature in Monday’s League Express.
