Up and running

NO YOU DON’T . . . London Skolars’ Ade Adebisi is stopped in his tracks by Mick Fogerty and Joe Chandler.

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OLDHAM 46, LONDON SKOLARS 12

Roughyeds sink Skolars in first win at Whitebank

TOP GEAR remained unused, but this was still a fairly comfortable three points . . . or as comfortable as it can be in a sport as physically brutal as rugby league, anyway.

For their part, London Skolars showed signs of enterprise in this Whitebank Stadium clash and in players like dual-registered Harlequins men Lamont Bryan and David Williams – the latter scored two tries – had very capable men on show.

Once Oldham had established a half-time lead of 24-4, though, the game was all but won.
And it meant that the vast majority of the 737 fans at the Whitebank Stadium were left celebrating the first-ever occasion a Roughyeds side had claimed a win at their new home.

What price a follow-up against Hunslet Hawks next week?

It is a big ask for Tony Benson’s side. With that fixture – first place at home to second in Co-operative Championship One – on the horizon, there was every danger that this Skolars game would become something of an afterthought.

Even though the side from the capital had lost every one of their previous nine matches, there was enough in their performance in a 44-28 loss at home to Workington last week to suggest that Oldham would need to be on their mettle.

They were, all told. Eight tries, four arriving in each half, were the result of some good go-forward on behalf of a mobile pack.

Chris Clarke worked typically hard at loose forward and former Skolars duo Wayne Kerr and Dave Ellison were both clearly fired up to do well against their former employers.

The main positive for Benson was the performance of his half-back duo.

Danny Whitmore looked far more comfortable playing alongside Matty Ashe than he did after being thrust into the role for last week’s 34-28 defeat to York.

With Neil Roden still out injured with a broken toe, it was left to the pair to combine more effectively and they did just that.

Whitmore grabbed a try two minutes before half-time after scooting and throwing two neat dummies to bamboozle the Skolars defence, while Ashe – who had a stinker seven days earlier – was much improved, especially in his place kicking.

Perhaps it was just a case of getting on friendly terms with the undulations of a new playing surface, or simply the fact that a less fraught matchday experience compared to York enabled him to relax more when striking the ball.

Whatever it was, seven goals from eight attempts was an excellent effort and a good riposte to those seeking to have the Kiwi replaced in the goal-kicking duties.

Ashe was given his first chance to tee up after 11 minutes. Kerr’s run down centre-field put Skolars on the back foot and as the ball was switched quickly to the right wing, a pair of accurate cut-out passes preceded some canny centre play by the recalled Paul Reilly, who sent Lucas Onyango streaking down the touchline.

Four minutes later, consecutive penalties awarded by referee Greg Dolan got Oldham within close range and Martin Roden was alert to the opportunity which presented itself by diving across from acting half.

It was 18-0 less than 10 minutes later when Whitmore’s neat cut-out pass sent John Gillam away down the left wing.

Full-back Paul O’Connor showed good pace to keep up and was handily placed on the winger’s inside shoulder to take the pass and pick up the Roughyeds’ third try.

James Massara, coach of the visitors, needed his men to get on the board quickly to get a foothold in the game and two of his best performers on the day fashioned their opening try.

Former Whitehaven and Featherstone man Ade Adebisi made a strong burst downfield and it was followed up by Williams, who showed impressive power to hand off the challenges on his way to the right corner.

Whitmore’s effort increased the Roughyeds’ lead to 24-4 at half-time and it would have been easy for the visitors to fade away after the break.

Not a bit of it. After Mick Fogerty had failed to take Ashe’s kick, which would have resulted in a sure Oldham try, Skolars responded well and their second try of the game was a very attractive effort.

It was difficult to see just how winger Olu Iwenofu slipped out a pass while being tackled by Fogerty but he surely did, and soon after long-serving replacement hooker Gareth Honor was sending in Williams for his second, an effort appreciated by the spectators in the main stand.

Then came Ben Heaton’s moment of magic.

In at full-back due to an injury suffered by O’Connor, the Rochdale-based player produced a devastating burst of speed to slip past markers who weren’t set and skirted round Adebisi like he wasn’t there before touching down.

Three minutes later, Craig Robinson crashed over from close range after Ashe’s own attempts were halted by an excellent Adebisi tackle.

The Skolars full-back was soon starring at the opposite end of the field, bouncing off a number of tackles before crossing for a try which won’t please Benson much on second viewing. Onyango’s second of the game came from an accurate cross-field kick by Ashe and the visitors were exposed two minutes from time by a short-sided move on the back of an Oldham scrum, with Gillam the beneficiary.


Just reward for everyone’s efforts — coach

TONY BENSON was glad to give the Oldham fans something to cheer about in the club’s new Whitebank Stadium.

The Roughyeds’ first-ever match at the venue ended in disappointment last week as visitors York sneaked away with a 34-28 victory.

But London Skolars weren’t able to repeat the trick and fell to a 46-12 defeat – a result which keeps Oldham at the top of Co-operative Championship One.

“We ground it out in the first half and started to get on top,” said Benson of an eighth win from nine league games which featured eight tries plus seven goals from rejuvenated scrum-half Matty Ashe.

“Going into the second half, we worked well at the start. But once we got our rewards with things starting to open up again, we lost a bit of composure.

“There were lots of holes all over the place and you have to keep your head and stick to the game plan.

“At times we got excited and tried to play everything at once. But we never stopped, effort-wise.

“Our defence was good apart from a couple of lapses.

“The go-forward was good and our shape was a lot better to create more opportunities for us.

“London put in a creditable performance. They are a big side and it was a tough game.

“In the end, I am just happy to get a win at home. It is just reward for all the work people have put in.”

The finest individual try of the afternoon belonged to Ben Heaton.

Following up a similarly-spectacular effort at Doncaster two games ago, the talented youngster picked up and scooted from dummy-half before racing around full-back Ade Adebisi and down the hill between the posts in the second half.

“He pops up with them, doesn’t he?” said Benson of Heaton, who replaced the injured Paul O’Connor at full-back in the second half.

“Ben knew where he needed to go and went for it.

“He did well and to his credit, he played at loose forward, went to back row and then he was in at full-back.

“It just shows what a player he is, being so versatile.”

Benson revealed that O’Connor was withdrawn as a precautionary measure as a result of a thigh problem picked up in the first half.

And prop forward Dave Ellison came off in the second half after being winded by a knock to his ribs.