Superb Oldham show their resolve

Photo: PICTURES by MILTON HAWORTH.

WRAPPED UP: Oldham’s Sam Gee (centre) is left with nowhere to go, but ultimate victory belonged to the Roughyeds.

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BARROW RAIDERS 10, OLDHAM 32

THIS was always going to be a lot more than getting within 80 minutes of a cup final.

It’s early days and the jury is perhaps still out, but some things are clearer after this magnificent 32-10 win at Barrow, which earned Scott Naylor’s men a semi-final home win in the new iPro Sport League One Cup.

Fans know now why Naylor has always maintained his class of 2015. though down on numbers compared with last season’s squad, has more quality and is better equipped to cope with what has already been dubbed “the division of death”.

They know, too, that this squad, like those assembled in 2013 and 2014, also has the courage to tackle any challenge head on and a united willingness to leave nothing in the dressing room.

Roughyeds travelled to Craven Park as rank outsiders, but picked themselves off the floor after a poor start to blow away Barrow with three tries in six minutes before half-time - and another three, unanswered, in a largely one-sided second half.

Much was expected from the ace in Barrow’s pack, hooker Peter Lupton, but little was seen of him when measured against the eye-catching contributions of Oldham’s Gareth Owen, Adam Files and Kenny Hughes.

Naylor retained all three, making only two changes by bringing back on-loan Nathan Mason and introducing Jodie Broughton from Huddersfield Giants on dual registration.

Steven Nield and Mike Learmonth made way for them, with Jarrod Ward moving from wing to full-back and Broughton coming in on the left wing.

Raiders had four on loan from Leigh – centre Chris Hankinson, prop Joe Bullock, second-rower Craig Briscoe and loose-forward Anthony Bate. Hankinson, Briscoe and stand-off Josh Ward, ex of Leigh, were prominent early on when Oldham took time to settle and Barrow quickly went 10-0 up with tries by Ward and Andrew Nicholson, this one goaled by Ward.

Turning things round, Oldham owed a great deal to full-back Jarrod Ward and wingers Broughton and Adam Clay – a forceful back three who each took a huge amount of work off their forwards.

Jarrod Ward, in particular, gave a stunning performance in his first appearance for the club as a full-back. Sam Gee toiled defensively against Hankinson early on, but regained his composure and enjoyed a big second-half.

Lewis Palfrey and Steve Roper bossed the show at half-back. behind a pack in which Phil Joy, Liam Thompson, Mason and Michael Ward led the charge up front.

Strong and forceful as ever, Ward was knocked out early in the second half by a tackle from Dan Toal that was placed on report.

Ward’s try after 33 minutes started Oldham’s fight back. Thompson went close, but there was no stopping Ward from the play-the-ball. Five minutes later, Clay scored from Palfrey’s kick to the corner, but the best was yet to come when Owen made a brilliant break up the middle from dummy half.

Michael Ward got with him, then Roper sent over Broughton wide out before Palfrey kicked his third goal.

Oldham had quickly turned the game on its head, and on the resumption after half-time they continued where they had left off, scoring further tries by Broughton, Clay and Gee, all of them resulting from fast, direct rugby involving both forwards and backs.

Wingers Broughton and Clay bagged two apiece – another indication of the width of Oldham’s attack when they opened up in the second half.