Oldham on a roll

Photo: Paul Sterritt

SO CLOSE: Nathan Mason is grabbed on the Gloucester try-line.

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Roughyeds 68, Gloucester 24

STEVE Roper’s influence on an Oldham side that has a strong chance in the play-offs is increasing with each passing game.

York, Hunslet, Oldham, Gateshead and Hemel will go into battle for one promotion spot, starting next weekend in a play-off series that ends on October 5.

And half-back Roper, at 27 currently Oldham’s oldest player, looks like the man who can point Scott Naylor’s side in the right direction. He was one of the few to play well when Roughyeds were humbled at Gateshead and in this 12-try mauling of the All Golds, he was pivotal in everything the home side did well.

He ran the show, spraying out passes, sending team mates through gaps, making the right decisions, kicking well and banging over eight conversions. He hobbled off a few minutes from the end with an injured knee, a job well done.

While receiving a man of the match award he told fans: “We can now build on this and take it into the play-offs.

“As for the knee, I’ll have a better idea of what’s what when I wake up, but I’m confident I’ll be okay for the next game.”

Naylor’s men achieved their objective of finishing the regular season on a high and with an unbeaten home record - the only team to do so, after a draw and nine wins from 10 league games at Whitebank.

Last season, Naylor’s first, they had the best away record in the division with only one defeat in eight on the road.

Their away record this season hasn’t been anything like as good, but they were determined to achieve their ambitions at home so blew the All Golds away in a one-sided first half.

Credit the visitors with a much more determined effort when they were playing down the slope in the second half, but Oldham finished much the stronger, with three tries up the hill in the last five minutes to give their fans plenty to cheer.

Gloucester, condemned to finish just outside the play-offs when Hemel drew at Oxford on Saturday, were playing for pride. Despite the score, they played good rugby at times, with Oldhamers Ben White and Phil Cowburn among their best men.

But this was Oldham’s day: Jon Ford (two) and Dale Bloomfield scored from the back division, while the pack ruled the roost with tries by Josh Crowley (two), Phil Joy, skipper for the day Danny Langtree (two), Ben Wood (two), Michael Ward and Paddy Mooney.

Next stop Hunslet away – and the start of another adventure into the weird and wonderful world of a five-club play-off with promotion as the big prize.