Roughyeds see chance slip by

MIDDLE MAN: Oldham’s Joe Chandler’s attempts to run between Adam Higson and Steve Maden.

Leigh 24, Oldham 12


OLDHAM Roughyeds were left to rue missed opportunities as Leigh Centurions secured a 24-12 victory in the Northern Rail Cup.

Tony Benson’s side created a number of chances against their Championship opponents but were found to be wanting on the last play.

But he will be delighted with an encouraging start to the season against one of the competition’s bigger names.

Oldham were without Kashley Watkins, who had broken his wrist, while both Gary Sykes and Marcus St Hilaire were left out through injury. Paul Reilly was also sidelined after taking a knock in the run out against Whitehaven.

Leigh were also short through injury, but took advantage of a sun-kissed but snowy Leigh Sports Village stadium to pinpoint Lucas Onyango and John Gillam on Oldham’s wing.

From the kick off, ex-Super League star Robbie Paul hammered up a high ball that both Gillam and Mick Fogerty did well to snuff out.

Four minutes later Dave Armitstead found a way over the Roughyeds’ line but was penalised for double movement.

His protestations landed him 10 minutes in the sinbin from referee Ronnie Laughton, who doled out 23 penalties in the game — but Oldham couldn’t capitalise.

Gillam was pulled back after going over the line for a forward pass and that was a close as Oldham got in the first half.

And when Steve Maden clocked the first of a double it looked as Oldham would rue failing turning the screw when a man up.

The difference was underlined when Fogerty went to the bin for lying on five minutes before the break.

From there, Leigh wasted no time in going 14-0 to the good.

Firstly ex-St Helens starlet Dave McConnell took a Tim Hartley ball to go over, then Paul fed former Roughyed Tommy Goulden to stretch the lead further.

Oldham needed to hit back quickly in the second half and could have reduced the deficit if Chris Clarke hadn’t knocked on after the lively Matty Ashe kicked to the corner.

Again, the home side made them pay for that mistake, with Maden utilising an excellent John Duffy pass to touch down in the corner.

But Oldham did get the score their play deserved when pressure finally told on the steadfast Leigh defence.

This time Danny Whitmore got the ball off to Neil Roden, who provided the cutest of grubbers for Craig Littler to score.

Ashe missed the kick but atoned for the error by hoisting a bomb which Gillam capitalised on after a mix up in the home defence.

Yet, the comeback was short-lived as, after 68 minutes, Dale Cunniffe found space in the Oldham line to seal the win — Mick Nanyn, another ex-Oldham player, converting his second of the game-.

Ashe intercepted late on but couldn’t find a team-mate and Neil Roden — who was lucky to stay on the field following a high tackle on Adam Higson — was hauled down by Duffy as he certain looked to score under the posts.

As the clock counted down Roden fired one up which Ashe collected, fed to Wayne Kerr, who released Fogerty on his left for the final score.

The try handed Oldham a bonus point and gave them some consolation on a day when, if they were a little more clinical, they could have had all three.




Benson’s pride at team effort



OLDHAM head coach Tony Benson pointed to what could have been following his side’s Northern Rail Cup pool ‘B’ defeat at Leigh yesterday.



“I was encouraged but disappointed at the same time as I thought we could have won,” said the Kiwi.

“We came here to win and perhaps if the bounces went our way things could have been different. We had two tries disallowed for forward passes although the players insist they weren’t.

“We got the bonus point and we should be happy with that but the boys are disappointed.”

Centre Mick Fogerty saw yellow with five minutes to go in the first half for laying on and Benson reckons that was a key decision from referee Ronnie Laughton.

“Any sin-binning at the end of a half is crucial and they scored two tries,” said Benson. “The players were tired and there wasn’t as much cover, but we will learn from that.

“There is a lot of work to do as we haven’t had a lot of time on the training field, but it was an encouraging start.

“We created a number of chances and didn’t take the opportunities when they came along.

“As the season goes on you get better at taking the right options. We seemed to get into the right positions and then the final pass wasn’t there.

“That said, you can’t knock them for effort. I am proud of the team.”






OLDHAM’S next game: Sunday, Hornets RL (H), Northern Rail Cup