Ugly, vital victory as Naylor cites mental drain

SHEER POWER: Michael Ward closes his eyes as he makes a burst

A JOB well done, even if it wasn’t as superbly executed as the wins against York and Rochdale in the two previous games.

That was Scott Naylor’s summary of the 32-6 win at London Skolars that took Roughyeds back to the top of Kingstone Press League One.

“Those two games probably took a lot out of us physically and mentally,” said Oldham’s head coach. “You can’t always play at the highest level, which we did in the two previous outings. To be able to win ugly when you are not at your best is a nice quality to have.

“All teams have days when they don’t perform as well as they can do, but today was all about getting the job done and ticking off another win box - and for that the boys deserve a lot of credit.

“London Skolars is one of the toughest places to come to. You’ve got the early start and the long journey and that’s before you even start on the mental side of things. Skolars are probably the biggest side in the division, but we matched their physicality and all their effort.”