Roughyeds do it the hard way

Photo: Pictures: Anthony Miller.

Wayne Kerr makes the hard yards against Rochdale.

1 More Image(s) In Gallery

Rochdale 18 , Oldham 26


NOBODY ever said it was going to be easy.

True, Oldham had clocked up 128 points in their previous two games before arriving at Spotland for this Good Friday clash, breaching the defensive lines of Workington and Lezignan for no less than 22 tries in the process.

Tony Benson’s men had also hammered their traditional rivals 54-4 earlier in the season, at a time when the very existence of a professional team in Rochdale had only just been made secure.

Few in Oldham colours, though, would have made the short journey for this local derby expecting another avalanche of points.

For starters, Hornets had already shown signs of real improvement under coach Darren Shaw, recently coming within a whisker of beating Co-operative Championship One title favourites Dewsbury before winning away at revitalised Swinton in the Challenge Cup.

The fact that, as usual, there were plenty of ex-Oldham men in the Hornets line-up also indicated that few easy yards would be given, while the heavy rain in the first-half set the tome for a gutsy, low-scoring clash.

Thankfully from a Roughyeds perspective, the team accepted the challenge and emerged with great credit – plus, more importantly, three points to add to the total as the quest for top spot continues.

There was plenty of adversity to overcome. Following a mistake-strewn first-half, the Roughyeds trailed 12-10 at the break, with tries from the home side from ex-Oldham man Wayne Corcoran, creeping home from dummy-half, and Dave Cunliffe, after Wayne Kerr had spilled the ball off a restart, sandwiching a Chris Baines try off the back of a good short ball from scrum-half Thomas Coyle.

It would have been worse but for Lee Greenwood’s try just prior to the hooter, created by an excellent pass from Marcus St Hilaire and added to by a touchline conversion from Andy Ballard.

However, two minutes after the restart Hornets increased their advantage when Liam McGovern collected his own bomb, which had ricocheted off the back of a Hornets player to bounce invitingly into the scrum-half’s path.

A McGovern conversion later and a misfiring Oldham were facing up to an 18-10 deficit, badly in need of a tonic.

It duly arrived in the shape of replacement hooker Stevie Gibbons. Back after a shoulder injury sustained on debut against Widnes, the Ireland international was a calm, composed and highly effective operator around the rucks and injected life into the visitors when burrowing over cleverly for a try on 49 minutes which Ballard added a goal to.

Two minutes later and Thomas Coyle was to provide a similar moment of class, breaking the line and eschewing support on his inside in favour of sending a perfectly-weighted kick to the corner which Ballard pounced on.

The winger missed his conversion – as he did a later penalty attempt – but at least the Roughyeds held a lead, albeit a wafer-thin one at 20-18.

The hard graft put into getting back in the contest could have been for nought, when Dave Allen was sent to the sin-bin for dissent after a spat with David Best.

Luke Menzies and Best himself then endured similar spells on the sidelines after getting involved in a set-to, leaving the contest as a 12-versus-11 clash for a short period.

Oldham, though, held on and made the game completely safe six minutes from time, James Coyle shooting over with Ballard converting.

Benson’s side currently sit in third place in the Co-operative Championship One table, level on points with Hunslet in second and two behind 100-per-cent Swinton.


Gritty show pleases boss

ROUGHYEDS coach Tony Benson was pleased with the way his side ground out a very “different” sort of victory at Spotland.


Trailing 12-10 at half-time in a game played out in wet conditions, an early converted try in the second period for the Hornets piled the pressure on the visitors.

But, to the credit of Benson’s men, an improved showing after the break brought with it a vital three points – even in spite of having two forwards, Dave Allen and Luke Menzies, sin-binned after the hour.

“The plan at half-time was to spend time down their end of the field and score tries and we got the couple we needed,” said Benson, referring to a quick double-strike from the excellent Stevie Gibbons and Andy Ballard which helped establish a 20-18 lead for the visitors.

“The game ended up in their favour with the weather. They like that sort of stuff, while we like to use the ball a bit more than we were allowed to.

“Full credit to Rochdale, though, they were right there in the game up to the last minute weren’t they?

“It was one of those games where everyone had to dig deep and do the things they don’t have to normally do in other games.

“It was played a lot in the middle and when we had two forwards off the field we had to move people about everywhere and defend that middle like our life depended on it.

“It was only a slim lead but we managed to hold onto it, which I am pretty proud of.

“It was a different sort of win and we needed it. It was a game that tested our character in different conditions where we couldn’t rely on speed and throwing the ball around.

“We needed to compete in the middle and it was pleasing that we did that, It is one in the bank for us and it is something we have up our sleeve now for the next rainy day.”

Oldham now switch attentions to this weekend’s crucial home game against Co-operative Championship One favourites Dewsbury.

“There is a lot to work on, as there is every week,” Benson added. “You think you have one part right and then something else comes up, exposed due to different conditions or a team playing the game in a different way.

“Dewsbury are going to be a huge challenge for us and there is a fair bit of time to get ready for that and I’m confident we’ll be at our best.”