Oldham triumph once again

FOLLOWING wins against the RAF (24-12) and Halifax (23-22), Oldham RL under-20s made it three successes in a row with a 58-4 trouncing of Gloucester All Golds at Whitebank.

Prop Paddy Mooney, the only member of the first-team squad to play in this one, gave an impressive performance in a new role for him — loose-forward.

Richard Joy, Andrew Ball, Aaron Hall and Rhys Wareing also showed up well as the Roughyeds strong pack took control from the start.

Outside the forwards, centres Connor Casey and Matty Campbell each produced impressive debuts, while full-back Tom Dempsey turned in another eye-catching display, highlighted by a stunning cover tackle on All Golds winger Josh Williams, who was in full flight up the touchline.

Roughyeds ran in 11 tries — six of them in the first half — and Dempsey converted seven of them to help Neil Roden’s men to their biggest win of the season.

Winger Luke Kavanagh, hooker Ball and second-row man Hall each scored two tries, with others coming from Joy, Mooney, Paddy Fitzsimmons, Wareing and Casey.

The All Golds scored a try in the corner by centre Connor Jones on the very last play of the game.

“I was disappointed to concede after we had put in such a sterling effort defensively, but overall we played well,” said Roden. “We are clearly making progress, and that’s what it’s all about.”

Team: Dempsey; Dootson, Casey, Campbell, Kavanagh; Flanagan, Hughes; B Roden, Ball, R Joy, Turner, Hall, Mooney. Subs: Wareing, Fitzsimmons, Gilks, Barratt.

The under-20s next home game is against Keighley Cougars on Saturday, August 9.