OLDHAM 40, WORKINGTON 16: Four-try Danny turns the tide

OLDHAM’S Rob Roberts shows his determination.

A SENSATIONAL 28-point haul from Danny Halliwell was the undoubted highlight of a topsy-turvy end-of-season clash at Boundary Park.

The experienced centre, so outstanding in the latter half of the season, ran in four second-half tries and kicked six out of seven conversions to help the Roughyeds turn a 16–0 deficit into a crushing victory.

Had he managed to land his seventh attempt three minutes from time, the former Halifax and Leigh man would have drawn level with the Oldham RL all-time record of 30 in a game, set by Abe Johnson in 1928.

As it is, Halliwell will have to settle for creating a new post-1997 record. The rest of his team-mates have cause to celebrate achieving a landmark, too, with this victory maintaining an unbeaten home record throughout the National League Two season.

Now, the focus will turn to preparing a weary and injury-hit squad for what is hoped to be one final game at Boundary Park in 2008: a qualifying play-off, against Keighley or Doncaster, for the right to progress through to the Grand Final at Warrington’s Halliwell Jones Stadium on Sunday, September 28.

Following on from Barrow’s 32–12 win at Swinton the afternoon before, Oldham knew that automatic promotion was out of their grasp before the game kicked off.

It seemed to affect the team psychologically, with a very slow start contributing to Workington establishing the substantial lead they held for most of the first half.

A huge kick to touch from Town scrum-half Carl Forber after the visitors created the position from which Jamie Marshall took a quick tap and touched down before the Roughyeds defence could react to the situation.

The poor opening continued from Steve Deakin’s side, with the frustrated home support only placated by a couple of strong bursts from Halliwell and Rob Roberts.

Workington’s lead was enhanced on 18 minutes, loose forward Gary Purdham piling through three tackles to score after the visitors had been handed good field position through a series of offside calls from referee Peter Brooke.

Forber converted and his boot was put to good use only four minutes later, a superb 40-20 kick giving possession back to Town from which Jay Duffy’s short inside pass created a chance for Franco Kmet to rush in.

At this stage, neither side was completing many sets of six. But once the Roughyeds had begun hold on to the ball, the pressure they created bore fruit when Rob Roberts powered over from dummy-half six minutes before half-time.

The home side carried on where they left off in the second half, with the forward power of the outstanding Said Tamghart in particular helping drive the team forward.

Halliwell cut inside off the left wing to penetrate the Workington rearguard five minutes after the break for his first of the afternoon and a lovely pass from James Coyle then created his second. With all three scores converted, the Roughyeds held the lead for the first time at 18-16 on 54 minutes.

By now, Town looked out on their feet and it was a question of how many Deakin’s men would score.

A typical Phil Joseph burst saw the utility forward in for the next try just after the hour.

The visitors’ discipline was beginning to be found wanting and after being granted more good field position the Coyle-Halliwell axis provided the centre with his hat-trick score.

Simeon Hoyle was next to nip over the line 10 minutes from time, before an incident in which Neil Roden claimed to have been bitten was put on report.

Finally, an excellent raking pass out wide from Joseph gave Halliwell the room he needed for his fourth of the day and 17th of the league season.