Fun in sun for Naylor’s red-hot nippers

Photo: PICTURES by DAVE MURGATROYD

coming through . . . Michael Ward, of Oldham, leaves a trail of Oxford bodies in his wake as he attempts to make ground.

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Oxford 4, Oldham 22
Oldham are looking like a team that can end the Roughyeds’ seven-season stay in rugby league’s third tier.

This 22-4 win in Oxford carried them within a point of leaders North Wales Crusaders - SIX clear of third-placed Hemel.

Since Tony Benson’s Oxford won 18-16 at Whitebank in April, Scott Naylor’s Oldham have bagged 22 points out of a possible 24 in a healthy promotion push.

Naylor’s nippers were obliged to avenge the earlier defeat by former Oldham boss Benson and the nine players he took with him from last year's Roughyeds’ squad.

All nine were on view here, plus a 10th ex-Oldhamer from further back in Roughyeds history, Danny Halliwell.

Oxford were bigger, more experienced and infinitely more street wise. Oldham were leaner, fitter and younger.

Extreme heat probably favoured Oldham, who conceded a try by Onyango in the second minute then dominated most of the game.

Early skirmishes set the pattern for an ill-tempered match: the referee dished out 25 penalties, 16 to Oldham and lost his patience midway through the second half when he sent Oxford’s Andrew Bentley to the sin bin.

After the first Oxford try Oldham manned the barricades to keep them out. They also took time out from defending to post four unanswered tries by centre Jon Ford, loan prop Nathan Mason, Adam Files and Kenny Hughes.

Having gone 12-4 up, Roughyeds had a poor patch in the lead-up to half-time when they made mistakes, mainly with forward passes.

Despite this, the hard-working front-row of Phil Joy, Sam Gee and Michael Ward kept the side moving forward, while Mason and Matthew Haggarty came off the bench to give a helping hand.