Focus on final

OUT OF REACH: Jarrad Stack loses the ball under pressure from Oldham’s Shaun Robinson.

Workington 20, Oldham 24

Roughyeds high on play-offs confidence
LOOK high and low for your Oldham RL scarves and tops: the play-off specialists are back in business.

Few fancied them to win at Workington in their final league game, but they stood up bravely to Town's early physical bombardment before giving the home side a lesson in how to play good attacking rugby league.

In so doing, they added ever-growing credence to Tony Benson's claim that Roughyeds will begin their play-off campaign at Rochdale Hornets next Sunday as "real contenders" for the Grand Final.

Benson's men tick the right boxes. To start with they are playing their best rugby of the year at the right time. Secondly, they have ended their regular league season with seven wins from nine outings and two narrow defeats, each by two points.

Thirdly, they have nailed once and for all those nagging doubts about away-day blues by winning at Rochdale and at Workington in their last two games away from Whitebank.

And if another box needed to be ticked what about this one — by reaching the last four finals Oldham have acquired more play-off nous than their five rivals put together.

Win, lose or draw at Workington, Benson's battlers were guaranteed a play-off place, but it was important they did well to maintain recent momentum and further enhance individual and collective self-belief.

It was soon put to the test. With 14 minutes on the clock Town led 10-0 and Oldham were already getting bashed and beaten up all over the field. Danny Bravo was a marked man, subjected as he was to numerous big hits.

Neil Roden took a heavy blow that floored him and all over the field the big Cumbrian forwards. led by Ryan MacDonald, Kris Coward and the indefatigable Jarrad Stack, were winning the rucks and throwing their weight around.

Hooker Jack Pedley scored in the corner after two minutes and before Oldham had touched the ball. Then Coward crossed for a second try on a short kick that bounced agonisingly away from Oldham's covering defenders.

The visitors refused to be intimidated and, slowly but surely, they came more and more into the game as Town's early power play began to lose its sting.

Quick hands gave Mark Brocklehurst a scoring chance on the right and he came inside to crash over.

Three minutes later Neil Roden’s cleverly delayed pass led to Matthew Fogarty displaying exceptional strength to surge through for another fine try.

Three more unanswered Oldham tries followed in the first 20 minutes of the second half.

Bentley's break up the middle on a set move enabled Neil Roden to touch down for a try which Dallimore goaled.

The next was the direct result of Dallimore's quick thinking and lightning reactions, racing in at top speed, kicking a loose ball towards the Town line and getting to it first.

His goal put Roughyeds 20-10 in front and the lead was soon extended further when Casey went in for his side's fifth and final try on another defence-bursting pass by the clever Neil Roden.

Oldham looked home and dry at 24-10, but in the later stages they lost some of their composure, gave away penalties and conceded tries by Carter and Kaighan as Town came back to give them a fright.