Gutsy Roughyeds get the job done
Reporter: by MATTHEW CHAMBERS
Date published: 11 August 2008
OLDHAM 34 BARROW 22
ALL things considered, this can go down as one of the Roughyeds' best performances of the season.
The beleaguered Steve Deakin didn't even know where to start in terms of selection for this game late last week. A catalogue of injuries, many picked up during successive away-day losses at York and Doncaster, had left the Oldham coach scouring the loan market for bodies with which to make up his 17-man squad.
In came young Huddersfield pair Michael Brown and James Martin, who beat the transfer deadline on Friday afternoon and took to the field alongside any number of men carrying a variety of sore limbs, pulls and strains.
But out of the adversity, Oldham managed to overcome their faltering promotion rivals, drawing level on points to set up a hugely exciting end-of-season scramble to secure second place in National League Two.
The only caveat to a fully deserved victory, featuring a number of easy-on-the-eye tries – none was better than Paul O'Connor's 80-metre sprint, the first of a double on the day for the full-back – was that in defeat, Barrow picked up a bonus point which effectively keeps them in second spot due to a superior points differential.
For now, anyway. But with a tough home match against resurgent Keighley to come this Friday, plus a final-day fixture at play-off contenders Doncaster, the nerves will be jangling inside the Raiders camp following a sequence of five defeats in six matches.
For the Roughyeds, this was an 18th successive home win.
If it is to be the play-offs for Deakin's side, still the most likely route to promotion, then few teams will relish making the journey to Boundary Park, a ground which has witnessed 16 of those victories.
Barrow started the game brightly. The first of two 40-20 kicks from the accurate boot of veteran stand-off Darren Holt created the field position for the opening try, though hesitant defence played its part in allowing James Nixon to fly in and claim Holt's kick to the in-goal on the last tackle.
But the home side bounced back from that early setback and quickly replied. The impressive Simeon Hoyle offloaded superbly in the tackle to Jason Boults, who arrived in close support to crash over between the posts, James Coyle – taking over kicking duties from the injured Mick Nanyn – converting on six minutes.
The Roughyeds stretched their lead thanks to a sparkling individual try from O'Connor. Taking the ball 20 metres in front of his own posts, the full-back embarked on a curving run which he straightened to fly through a hole in the visitors' defensive line, sprinting in to score under the posts with hardly a Raiders shirt anywhere near him.
The Roughyeds' right-side defence again looked hesitant in allowing Barrow to reply midway through the half. Holt was once more the architect, but instead of putting a bouncing ball behind as a safety-first option, Oldham allowed Nixon to pounce on sloppy defence for a second time.
Still, as the half wore on, the Roughyeds asserted their dominance with the forward pack making big metres on every set.
After seeing two potential tries go begging – Luke Sutton spilled in the act of laying on a loose ball in the in-goal, while Lucas Onyango's sprint down the line from halfway off a superb short Neil Roden pass was spoiled only by a stray foot in touch under a tackle from Mike Backhouse – the pressure paid off, O'Connor sliding over from Roden's pass after a neat passing move.
Four minutes after the break, the lead was extended. Danny Halliwell leaped to take Roden's bomb and powered his way past a number of would-be tacklers.
Andy Ellis scooted over from dummy-half after Brett McDermott had earlier wasted a breakaway by holding on to the ball too long, Holt adding an extra two to bring the visitors back within six points.
Oldham were still in control, though, and went close when Coyle's penalty attempt from just over halfway struck a post.
The lively Brown then struck with a debut try following another sweeping move, Halliwell making a superb conversion from just off the touchline.
Jamie Butler pulled back another try as Barrow refused to lie down, but the final word went to Onyango, who crossed in the corner on the hooter, with Halliwell repeating his trick of kicking a conversion from out wide.
Deakin lashes out at critics
AFTER getting back to winning ways following two successive defeats, Steve Deakin was in combative mood.
After using his programme notes to attack what he saw as "the negative comments of the few" from the terraces, the Roughyeds coach argued that the victory over fellow promotion chasers Barrow was a continuation of the performance shown in the midweek defeat at Doncaster.
At the end of a strenuous week, Deakin was delighted with the effort put in by his patched-up side, who kept alive their automatic promotion hopes with an 18th successive home win.
"We came up with an outstanding performance against Doncaster, a real gutsy effort against a team who put in probably their best performance of the year," Deakin said.
"Just because we got beaten, it isn't necessarily a disappointment. The character we showed on Wednesday night we brought into the game today and we had it for 80 minutes. It was a large part in how we prepared today.
"We don't have a god-given right to win games, just because we have got some good players and because we are pre-season favourites.
"We have to earn that right and that is what we did today. If we come up with that kind of performance and show that kind of endeavour, we are more than a match for any side in this division."
Oldham's injury problems before the game were huge, with Marcus St Hilaire (back), Phil Joseph (ribs), Mick Nanyn (fractured thumb), Matty Brooks (torn calf) and Adam Robinson (knee and wrist) all out.
Two loan signings from Huddersfield Giants, centre Michael Brown and second row James Martin, both made debuts – Brown picking up a 71st-minute try – and Deakin was pleased with their efforts.
"We showed a lot of character," Deakin added.
"I don't think I have done this so far this year, but I would like to give special praise to Martin and Brown.
"They came in on the deadline on Friday, had a 30-minute training session with us on Friday and both came up with outstanding performances.
"Paul O'Connor (who played with a hip problem) was very good today. He was ruled out on Friday night and when we got to the ground Adam Robinson was ruled out – so Paul had to play, we didn't have any other option.”
