Oldham display gritty qualities

Brian Massey’s progress is halted.

Oldham 1sts 8, Trafford MV 1sts 5

OLDHAM’S North Lancashire Division One campaign continues to offer the prospect of promotion.

Though Littleborough are hot on their heels, Oldham lead the way with just one defeat all season.

This excellent victory was based on strength and determination. The gale-force wind meant both sides’ kicking game was severely compromised, as was running rugby on a sodden surface.

Oldham were without injured Tom Hannon, so Rhys Jones stepped in at prop – the only change from the squad which beat Thornton in the last game before the Christmas break.

Ball handling was hard work, but both sides probed away at each other’s defensive lines and, in the 10th minute, Trafford were awarded a penalty in a good position.

Their kicker’s effort drifted wide in the strong wind.

Oldham fell behind in the 22nd minute when Trafford scored a well-worked try, their strong-running centre racing 30 metres to touch down in the corner.

As the game reached its second period, play stagnated until a piece of Oldham magic on the hour.

The pack won a scrum just inside their own half, Joe Hesse picked up from the back row and at last found half a gap to race into.

Hesse made a good 20-metre break before passing to Lewis Simister, who made the yards before giving a sweetly-timed pass to Phil Conroy for a try in the corner.

The conversion attempt was just out of range for Callum Megram, but at 5-5 it was game on.

The match could have gone either way, but just over 10 minutes from time Trafford gave away a penalty for offside and Megram’s sweetly-struck kick flew between the posts.

Tiredness crept into both sides’ play in the last 15 minutes, and although Trafford pressed, Hesse put in some great defence to deny them a winning try.

The match finished on a sour note for Oldham when Brian Massey was given his marching orders just before the final whistle.