Errors spark heavy defeat

Photo: Dave Murgatroyd

OLDHAM’S Lucas Onyango (left) takes the game to Halifax.

1 More Image(s) In Gallery

Halifax 50 Oldham 10
A STEADY flow of penalties and a number of mistakes on both sides of the ball cost Oldham dear at The Shay, in the Northern Rail Cup.

Tony Benson’s side were forced to defend for far too many of the 80 minutes against a Halifax team – last season’s Grand Final winners in the Championship – full of flair and containing players of considerable size.

The half-century of points conceded represents a tough but necessary lesson for a young side who can ill-afford to repeat this experience too often if the ultimate goal of
promotion this season is to stay a realistic prospect.

There were two main highlights in the game from the visiting team’s perspective.

Lucas Onyango finished a superb length-of-field try in the second half, and rookie scrum-half Mick Diveney produced a confident display, setting the winger on his way to a second try with a sharp pass 30 metres from his own line.

But the forward power and offloads of two-try Sam Barlow, some forceful running from replacement Makali Aizue and sharp running and passing around the ruck by Ben Black and Sean Penkywicz were in the end too much for a tired Roughyeds side to handle.

Barlow was held up in the opening minutes but Michael Ostick found a good angle to burst onto Jim Gannon’s pass and when Black ran through the visitors’ right-sided defence the writing was on the wall.

Oldham found their feet midway through the half and Liam Gilchrist spilled close to the line before Diveney spun a long pass out to Onyango, who finished well in the right corner, the scrum-half converting superbly from the touchline.

A dropped ball from Luke Sutton was not what the doctor ordered and Halifax — now with the considerable power of replacements Frank Watene and Aizue on — scored again when Rob Worrincy beat Neil Roden in a foot-race.

At 14-6 down, the one thing the Roughyeds desperately needed was a strong start to the second half – and that is exactly what they didn’t get.

Jason Boults dropped the ball on the first drive following Fax’s kick-off and Aizue crossed within 30 seconds of the restart, with Lee Paterson kicking his second conversion.

A Penkywicz break created a score for Black and a short pass then saw Barlow surge over the line. Two more Paterson goals and the game was up with Matt Calland’s side leading 32-6 only seven minutes into the second period.

Valu Bentley was laid out by a late charge from Barlow, with the incident placed on report.

Danny Jones was next in for Halifax and his effort was followed by Onyango’s superb 70-metre surge in which he outpaced the covering defence down the right wing.

But further scores for Barlow and Jim Gannon put the tin lid on a poor afternoon for Oldham.