It's three and easy for Roughyeds

by Ryan Booth

Oldham swept aside Newcastle Thunder to record their third consecutive league victory and run out 28-12 winners at a sun-soaked Vestacare Stadium.

The Roughyeds registered five tries through Kieran Gill, Danny Bridge, David Eccleston, Phil Joy and Craig Briscoe to secure a crucial victory as the club looks to storm the play-off places.

Newcastle looked intent on making a statement early on as Tom Shaw executed a superb 40-20 to force Oldham into a goal-line drop out.

The hosts regrouped however and managed to take an early lead after quick hands from skipper Gareth Owen, Paul Crook and Luke Hooley forged an opening for Kieran Gill to stroll over the whitewash.

Crook added the extras to give Oldham a 6 point lead and they were in again less than a quarter of an hour later. This time, Matthew Wilkinson managed to pick out second-rower Danny Bridge who bundled his way over.

Crook converted his second goal to further increase the margin between the sides, 12-0.

Scott Naylor’s men were running riot by this point and claimed their third try of the contest when the heavily involved Crook and Gill combined - the latter who produced a sublime flick-on under pressure - to give David Eccleston a simple finish in the corner.

Crook missed the subsequent conversion but Oldham led by 16 points heading into the break after a clinical first-half showing.

After the interval, Roughyeds picked up where they left off as Luke Nelmes made a surging break before Wilkinson jinked his way out of dummy half to send Man of the Match Phil Joy crashing over.

Crook duly added the extras but it was the visitors who claimed the next score. Alistair Blair picked up the ball close to the half-way mark before darting beyond a stunned Eccleston and cutting inside Hooley to round-off a fine individual effort.

Tom Shaw landed the resulting goal but Thunder’s fightback was cut short ten minutes from time as Owen replaced Wilkinson, the former’s short-ball found Craig Briscoe who dived over in what was a carbon copy of Joy’s score.

Newcastle had the final say however when Lewis Young picked up the loose ball and scored a breakaway try to claim a consolation just as the full-time hooter sounded.

Next up for Oldham is the rearranged clash with Hemel Stags on Sunday, May 13.

Kick-off is 3pm at the Vestacare.

Oldham: Hooley, Eccleston, Reid, Gill, Kershaw, Crook, Hewitt, Joy, Owen, Spencer, Bridge, Langtree, Bent. Interchanges: Briscoe, Jones, Wilkinson, Nelmes.

Newcastle Thunder: Ritson, Agoro, Brown, Craig, Blair, Young, Shaw, McAvoy, Simons, J. Aldous, Luckley, Clarke, H. Aldous. Interchanges: Rennie, Fitzsimmons, Ollett, Blake.

Oldham Scorers: Gill (17’), Bridge (30’), Eccleston (36’), Joy (45’), Briscoe (70’) | Goals- Crook (4/5)

Newcastle Thunder Scorers: Tries- Blair (50’), Young (79’) | Goals- Shaw (2/2)

Referee: Nick Bennett

Chronicle Man Of The Match: Phil Joy

Attendance: 455