Last-gasp agony for Oldham

STUCK IN THE MIDDLE: Gareth Barber (left) and Guy Lovegreen stop a Didsbury attack.

OLDHAM 20, DIDSBURY TOC H 22

RUGBY UNION: AFTER fighting back from 17-5 down, Oldham blew it in the last minute of injury time in this North Lancs and Cumbria Division One clash.

A Mark Goodman penalty five minutes into added time looked to have given the hosts the edge, with a 20-17 lead.

But Oldham lost the ball from the restart and winger Chris Harley scored in the corner.

As in previous games, Oldham were second best in scrum and line-outs, but in possession they were good.

Coach Guy Lovegreen had to play at scrum-half, in place of absent Pete Scrivens. Phil Graham featured in the back row.

In the second half the home side played some lovely stuff, only for the final ball to fail them.

Toch took the lead after 11 minutes through Dave Hoare.

Two minutes later Goodman missed a penalty, before Will Mellor scored a fine try. A scrum on the half-way line saw Gareth Barber find Ian Sinfield, who put the ball back inside to Mellor.

Hoare added a virtually identical try to his first before the break.

After the interval John Walker extended the visitors’ lead, with John Bishop converting.

The fightback began with Barber crossing and Goodman adding the extras.

With five minutes remaining, Nick Hackman went over near the posts, only for Goodman to miss the conversion.

Goodman’s penalty should have won the contest, but Harley broke Oldham hearts at the death.


BOLTON UNDER-19s 0, OLDHAM UNDER-19s 24

A FINE away-day saw Oldham claim a comprehensive win at Bolton, despite having only 14 players from which to choose.

Josh Watson scored twice, with Callum Megram adding the extras.

Elliot Wright was on target from a well-worked move before man of the match Phil Simister made a 40-metre dash for the line to put the icing on the cake.


BURNLEY 2ND XV 24 OLDHAM 3RD XV 7

INJURY-HIT Oldham suffered a heavy defeat at Burnley, who crossed early on via a line-out.

They added a converted try shortly before the interval.

Oldham stepped it up a gear in the second period, with plenty of positive forward movement.

Martin Megson grabbed his fourth try of the season and Lee Whitehead added the extras to reduce the deficit to 12-7.

But Oldham, with no substitutes to call upon, looked tired and conceded two late tries.


OLDHAM VETS 33 BURNAGE 0

OLDHAM stormed to victory over Burnage in what was expected to be a close contest.

A fantastic flowing move saw Phil Marsh cross, with Jimmy Forster converting. The pair were on the mark again, combining with another seven-point haul.

Oldham dominated proceedings and Dom Hall rounded off a slick attack by scoring a try under the posts. Forster added the extras.

Burnage did what they could to hold back the tide in the second half, but Mark Hodge went over before Forster followed suit, and converted it himself.

Mike Royston was the hosts’ man of the match.