Roughyeds take share of spoils

Blackpool 30, Oldham 30

ANALYSE this one, if you dare.

Equally valid arguments can be made that from a Roughyeds point of view, it represents a point dropped – draws are worth two points apiece in Co-operative Championship One – or two gained from a precarious position.

The former argument has it that Tony Benson’s side should never have found themselves 30–14 down with less than a quarter of the game remaining – particularly given that three of the Panthers’ five tries came via interceptions.

Those speaking up for the latter point of view would counter that, having got into such a huge pickle in the first place against a very able and well-drilled home side, going home with a pair of points represents a decent recovery.

With a player advantage for the final eight minutes following the sending off of Blackpool’s Simon Bissell for an alleged raised elbow on Lee Greenwood as the winger attempted to charge down a Carl Forber kick – Oldham’s man got a 10-minute spell in the sin bin for reacting with a punch – the visitors will have entertained thoughts of victory.
Particularly so, when Chris Baines stroked home a goal from a tricky position on the left to level the scores, after Tommy Goulden had taken advantage of a big overlap on the left with seven minutes left.

Despite a gutsy effort throughout, it wasn’t to be. Indeed, Blackpool – whose coach, ex-Bears captain Martin Crompton, will be cursing how the game slipped out of his side’s grasp – went closest to sneaking a win at the death, but Forber’s drop-goal effort was charged down.

The home team started the game by far the stronger, dominating possession which they also turned into points.

The first of an unwanted hat-trick of loose passes leading to tries was thrown by Thomas Coyle on seven minutes, the ball going to ground with no centre around to claim on the full and livewire winger Nick Royle romped home for the first of his double.

It got worse three minutes later as some excellent quick handling saw the ball shifted left-to-right, ending up with Tom Woodcock touching down, and an uphill struggle got tougher when Paul Alcock eased through a gap in the line of the left side.

Two out of three conversions for full-back Jonny Leather and the Roughyeds desperately needed to get on the board.

Which they duly did, Lucas Onyango capitalising on some determined and skilful work by Craig littler, enjoying his best run-out of the year.

Chris Baines then took on a Martin Roden pass to score from close range and after knocking over the goal, things were looking up for the good travelling support in red and white.

But a telegraphed long, loooped Coyle pass wide was again snaffled by Royle, who raced home from the halfway line to under the posts to arrest the momentum shift.

Leather goaled and added a penalty before half-time after Jamie Russo had taken advantage of a mis-match in numbers on the left on the back of a good Coyle run.

Almost unbelievably, the second half started in similar fashion to the first with Coyle’s long floated pass – this time with the Roughyeds camped on the Panthers line – only finding Royle.

Speeding from one end to the other, he was eventually caught by Onyango and Greenwood but Dave Llewellyn was on hand to tidy up and score, Forber goaling for a 30-14 lead.

Bissell was then shown the red card and Greenwood the yellow at the point at which Oldham had started to respond once again.

First Coyle showed good strength to burrow home on 64 minutes, Baines converting.

Then Littler hacked on his own deflected kick and stretched to touch down in the right corner.

Blackpool were offside at the restart and Oldham were soon going over again through Goulden.

Baines was accuracy personified under pressure with the boot, before a frantic and error-strewn end to the game ensured the spoils were to be shared.