Bonus point is scant reward

Doncaster 18, Oldham 10
A SECOND away defeat in four days saw the Roughyeds’ hopes of claiming automatic promotion diminish further.

This was at least an improved display from Steve Deakin’s side, who could easily have won all three points on another night.

As it was, Oldham had to settle for just the one, a first bonus point in defeat of the season. Small consolation when you consider that second-placed Barrow – who visit Boundary Park on Sunday in another mouth watering clash – are now two points in front with a game in hand, added to a hugely superior points differential.

Despite working hard throughout, things didn’t quite fall into place to enable Steve Deakin’s men to come away with a victory and there were plenty of ‘if only’ stories on show.

If only . . . Mick Nanyn hadn’t knocked on deep in his own territory when playing the ball in the first half, giving Ellery Hanley’s men good field position which they went on to exploit.

If only . . . James Coyle’s restart kick had bounced out of play as it looked set to, only to take a wicked deviation infield prior to Zeb Luisi’s superb break which led to Doncaster’s second try.

If only . . . Neil Roden hadn’t made a grab at a ball which pitched and went away from him on the kick return following Oldham’s first try just after the half-hour, with the ruthless Dons again taking advantage.

If only . . . Paul O’Connor and Tommy Goulden hadn’t had to leave the field with injuries in the first half

And if only . . . breaks down the middle from Marcus St Hilaire and Daryl Cardiss in either half had resulted in tries, rather than superb last-ditch tackles from Peter Green and the superb Corey Lawrie respectively.

Just as it was in the defeat at York on Sunday, in which Oldham found themselves 30-6 down at half-time, the opening period was decisive.

By the break here, Doncaster had amassed an 18-4 lead, though it was a lopsided scoreline given that the contest was evenly fought.

The opening try arrived on the quarter-hour. After Nanyn’s fumble, a penalty for a high tackle followed and Lawrie’s pass found Michael Haley twisting and turning in the tackle before touching down, with Luke Gale converting.

It very soon got twice as bad for the visitors. Coyle’s return kick seemed to defy the laws of physics by flirting with the touchline before somehow bouncing back on itself to stay in play, but full-back Luisi was alert to the situation and flew down the middle with plenty of support in tow. His pass found Lawrie who, with a superb ball over his head under pressure, in turn picked out the onrushing Kyle Wood. A Gale conversion later and Oldham found themselves 12-0 down despite a solid start.

Nanyn then failed to take on Joseph’s pass with the line fast approaching, while O’Connor’s enforced substitution midway through the half – Marcus St Hilaire switched to full-back – served to illustrate that the rub of the green wasn’t going the Roughyeds’ way.

A superb piece of defence from Chris Baines, Coyle and substitute Neil Roden then pushed the Dons back a full 15 metres in possession and it seemed to fire the visitors up. After St Hilaire’s ankle had been tapped by Green when he seemed set to race in down centre field, the ball was worked to the left with Roden finding Goulden on the angle to score wide out on the left.

Nanyn couldn’t add to it, though. And as soon as he had helped get his side back in the game, Roden’s knock-on put Oldham on the back foot once again. This time, Gale ducked and weaved and proceeded to crash over between the posts, converting his own try to establish the flattering advantage Ellery Hanley’s men maintained until half-time.

The second half was a war of attrition, with scoring chances few and far between. The first of those came Doncaster’s way and it was difficult to tell just how Green failed to claim a try out on the right on the hour, other than it simply being a cracking piece of defence on Oldham’s part which forced the knock-on, on the advice of a touch judge.

Nanyn then used his considerable frame to bulldoze his way over when cutting infield from the left on the angle, following a similarly powerful effort further up the pitch by Phil Joseph. A conversion later and the Roughyeds were back in the contest.

By the final quarter, most of the game was taking place in the Doncaster half as the visitors pressed hard for a further score, without quite looking likely to break through despite the best efforts of chief orchestrator James Coyle.

After another disallowed Green effort, the Oldham scrum-half’s mini break almost set up a further score, only for St Hilaire to be wrapped up as he looked for support. It was that kind of day. But despite the qualities on show – the defensive effort which shut Doncaster out in the second half, for example – the Roughyeds can’t afford many more like it.




Deakin’s praise, despite setback



STEVE Deakin was full of praise for his team’s efforts in defeat at the Keepmoat Stadium, stating his belief that had similar levels had been found in previous losses this season, they could have been turned into victories.



The Roughyeds coach also felt that first-half injuries to key men Paul O’Connor and Tommy Goulden didn’t help his team’s cause in a tight encounter which could easily have gone either way.

“It was an outstanding football game and one worthy of a play-off,” Deakin said.

“The two teams were totally committed and there was no quarter given and none asked. A lot of skill and endeavour was shown by both teams.

“Losing Paul O’Connor and Tommy Goulden certainly didn’t help us and we had to play Chris Baines in the centre.

“It seems we are down on troops again but that is the name of the game. Everybody who went out there ran their blood to water and nobody’s effort, commitment, desire or passion could be questioned.

Deakin also paid tribute to the match-turning abilities of Doncaster’s livewire former Harlequins and New Zealand full-back, whose burst set in motion the home side’s second try of the evening.

“The big difference between the teams was a bit of skill from Zeb Luisi,” added Deakin.

“He is an outstanding athlete who has graced Super League and the international game and who will probably take part in the World Cup at the end of the year.

“The try Doncaster scored when we had got back into the game at 12-4 was probably a big turning point.

“We were still confident at half-time that if we showed enough determination we could get the points on the board to trouble them.

“We just lost a little bit of shape in the top third as we got disrupted with people pulled out of position. We had Phil Joseph as one centre.

“We handled it as best we could, but probably were guilty of playing off too wide a pass, with only having one pivot.

“It was a great game and sometimes you win them, sometimes you don’t. If we had shown that type of passion in the other games in which we have been beaten this year we would probably have won those games.”