Brocklehurst try seals victory

HORNETS RL 16 OLDHAM 22

OLDHAM secured a third successive Co-operative Championship One victory at local rivals Hornets RL – but Tony Benson’s men were forced to scrap for the three points every inch of the way.

First-half tries from Matty Ashe, Luke Sutton and Mick Fogerty and three Ashe goals established what looked like a comfortable 18-0 cushion after 22 minutes.

But Hornets stormed back, despite losing two players to serious injury during the opening period. Liam McGovern suffered a suspected ruptured Achilles tendon and Daniel Fleming sustained severe concussion in a collision with Wayne Kerr.

Hornets adopted a determined backs-to-the-wall mindset and a try before half-time from Dean Gorton and two after by Gareth Hayes and Phil Wood, accompanied by two Chris Hough goals, hauled the home side back within two points.

Then came the game-sealing try the Roughyeds needed 12 minutes from full-time, Mark Brocklehurst crossing in the left corner.

“It was all about the Hornets today,” conceded Oldham coach Tony Benson. “They got a couple of reasonably serious injuries and it seemed to spark them up.

“They just kept on coming back at us.

“We were a little bit rusty but I am happy we hung in there and fought to get three points.”