Late but great

COMING THROUGH: Same Gee of Oldham comes up against three Swinton defenders

Oldham 24, Swinton 18

IF there’s one thing Oldham fans have learned since Scott Naylor took charge, it’s leave before the end and you’ll miss the best of the action.

As they did so often last season - and again at Barrow last week - Roughyeds came good in the second half and finished worthy winners, after trailing 18-4.

Josh Crowley and Liam Thompson led the charge of the light brigade against Swinton’s heavyweights as Naylor’s men discovered their best form in the final 25 minutes to score four tries without reply.

Thompson, a terrier of a loose-forward, sparked the revival when he crossed from close range on a flat dummy-half pass from Adam Files 15 minutes into the second half.

From then on, Oldham dominated more and more; Swinton were pinned down at the bottom end of the Whitebank slope; and Roughyeds, with wind and slope in their favour, earned repeat sets to pile on relentless pressure.

They still trailed going into the last 15 minutes, 10-18, but then came a three-try blast in which Sam Gee, Danny Langtree and Alex Davidson all scored to carry Oldham home.

It wouldn’t be Oldham, though, without some late drama. At 18-18, and with only five minutes left, Steven Nield failed to convert Langtree’s try from almost in front of the posts and a draw looked the most likely result.

There was still time to push forward in search of a winner though, and with 79 minutes on the clock Kenny Hughes hoisted a high kick and Ben Wood went close before prop Davidson crashed in to register his second try in two games and his first at Whitebank. Gee added the goal and seconds later it was all over.

Oldham had the advantage of having already played one pre-season game, but they have pulled off these exciting second-half fightbacks too often under the tutelage of Naylor and Lee Spencer to conclude that this one was more to do with the Lions’ deficiencies than the home side’s fitness, stamina and never-say-die spirit.

Roughyeds showed their Championship opponents what they were really made of — and that’s exactly what they did in totally eclipsing Swinton’s forwards.