Roughyeds go down fighting
Date published: 21 January 2010
NOWHERE TO GO: Oldham’s Michael Ward tries to avoid two Whitehaven players.
Whitehaven 40, Oldham 20
OLDHAM Roughyeds were defeated by Whitehaven in a testimonial game for former ace Howard Hill last night.
After the original Sunday fixture fell victim to frost, the visitors generously offered to make the midweek trip to the Recreation Ground to honour Hill, who looked set for a Super League career before the Bears club went out of business.
But there were no favours once the match kicked off. Haven, a mix of young and much older, quickly got into their stride and new Australian recruit Dylan Skee dived over from dummy-half after nine minutes, adding the conversion.
Prop David Ford charged on to a pass at pace to cross after 21 minutes and stand-off Tyrone Dalton did the same off Skee to put the hosts in the clear. The scrum-half’s third conversion made it 18-0.
Oldham full-back Chris Brand did well to track back and deny Ade Adebisi a try as the Haven winger chased a long kick to the corner.
But he knocked on in the process, handing the hosts possession in a dangerous position. Haven duly moved the ball sharply to the left flank for Paul Lancaster to touch down in the corner.
Veteran prop David Fatialofa, returning to rugby league for this match, left the field after a bruising but fair tackle and hooker Aaron Lester, also out of retirement for Hill, joined his fellow Kiwi on the sidelines late in the half.
It had been pretty much one-way traffic until Lester denied the rampaging Wayne Kerr a likely try under the sticks with a strong challenge.
The big Irish prop took exception and a melee erupted, with players rushing in.
As a result, both were sin-binned by referee Gareth Hewer and the visitors awarded a penalty.
Oldham might have been able to reduce the deficit had Craig Robinson been able to take a difficult pass around his shoulders, but Haven survived.
The Roughyeds started the second-half in determined fashion, winger Lucas Onyango latching on to a kick to the corner to reduce the deficit.
Haven’s Jay Rossi won a race to the line after Oldham lost the ball in a tackle, Scott George slotting the extras.
But the visitors stuck gamely to the task and Mark Brocklehurst collected a looping pass to score out wide.
The try of the match came after 62 minutes, Dalton ghosting through in midfield and finding Lancaster on his inside for the decisive pass.
George converted and was again on target after Watson popped over from close range.
Oldham’s persistence paid off in the closing two minutes, adding two more tries from Chris Clarke and Mick Fogerty. Matty Ashe converted both.
