Will to win impresses relieved Naylor

Photo: PAUL STERRITT

PLENTY TO SMILE ABOUT: Steven Nield can’t hide his delight after scoring the 77th-minute try that won the game for Oldham.

AN amazing match described by chairman Chris Hamilton as “one you couldn't script” produced mixed emotions for coach Scott Naylor.

Naylor watched his team race into a 27-0 lead against one of the strongest sides in the division.

Then for the second time that day he went through hell as York turned the game upside down and scoring seven tries without reply to lead 30-27.

City Knights looked certain winners until Steven Nield came up with the all-important try three minutes from the end.

Said a mightily relieved Naylor: “I’m absolutely made up to win the game. We got the result we wanted and in this one winning was everything after our defeat at Hunslet.

“This was a game that gave us a chance to show what we are and who we are — and we showed it all right, though not exactly in the way I had hoped.

“It’s hard to be negative when you’ve just beaten a good team, but the reality is that if York had possessed a goalkicker we would have lost after leading 27-0.

“Our opening 30 minutes were the best since I’ve been at the club, but I’ve got to be honest and talk also about the seven tries we let in and how we came so close to losing.

“A sense of reality tells me I don’t expect us to play as well every week as we did in those first 30 minutes, but at the same time I don’t expect to see ever again the performance we gave in the remaining 50 minutes.

“Penalties were more than two-to-one against us and that’s something we need to look at.”