So near - but not near enough

Photo: Anthony Miller

Liam Thompson weighs up his options as he runs at the visitors’ line.

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OLDHAM 16, NORTH WALES CRUSADERS 18

IT doesn’t always happen, but in this case the score at the end DID reflect the 80 minutes of a rip-roaring semi-final.

There wasn’t a lot to choose between the sides, but Crusaders just edged it with a superior kicking game and greater fluidity at half-back.

The biggest refereeing call of the night also had a massive influence on the result. Fans were still settling down again after the half-time interval when George Tyson flew out of defence to put Jamie Dallimore under pressure.

Oldham led 10-6 at the time - but it was soon to change. Tyson made contact after the former Roughyeds player kicked downfield. If late contact - the ref decides - is made, yellow is an automatic, mandatory sanction.

While Roughyeds were down to 12 men and under heavy fire at the bottom end of the ground, they conceded two more penalties. A Dallimore grubber earned Crusaders a fourth consecutive set and the inevitable happened when another ex-Roughyed, Alex Thompson, opened up the home side’s under-manned and over-worked defence for big Ryan Duffy to score. Tommy Johnson’s easy 48th minute conversion put the Welsh side in front for the first time - 12-10 - and after that Oldham were always chasing.

It was a great game too — not blessed with an abundance of fast, running rugby and ball movement, but one overflowing with passion and honest endeavour from two teams hell-bent on getting to the iPro Sport Cup final in May.

Tackling from both sides was fair, ferocious and fierce. Defences were generally on top; breaks were few; kicking was to prove decisive.

Oldham shaded the battle for forward supremacy, but were second best in the kicking department and suspect also in dealing with field kicks and high, restart bombs.

Attacking down the slope in the first half, Scott Naylor’s men had loads of possession and good field position, but struggled to make it count against a well-organised and solid defence.

Lewis Palfrey kicked Oldham into the lead with a penalty goal in the 15th minute after he was the victim of a high tackle. Things got even better two minutes later when Rob Massam struggled with Palfrey’s crosskick, the ball ran loose and Tyson hacked on twice to put the ball over the line and get to it first.

Palfrey’s goal off the touchline was a bonus, 8-0, but a stroke of cruel luck was to follow when Gareth Owen slipped as he ran forward to take the restart kick.

On another day the ball would have been in Owen’s safekeeping, but as he struggled to regain his feet it bounced backwards into Crusaders hands and at the back of the following set they opened their account.

Dallimore’s sixth-tackle crosskick was collected by Clay, but Massam snatched it off him one-on-one to score in the corner.

Johnson added the goal, but on the stroke of half-time Palfrey put over his second penalty for a 10-6 interval lead.

The second half began sensationally with Tyson’s yellow card, and Crusaders capitalised with the Duffy try and Johnson’s conversion.

Worse followed midway through the half. Dallimore kicked high, Clay couldn’t get under it and the ball bounced away into Oldham’s in-goal area for Dallimore to win the race and touch down.

At 18-10 down the home side was deep in bother, but they kept battling as the seconds ticked away and with only three minutes left on the clock they cut the deficit to two points with Langtree’s try and Palfrey’s goal