Naylor so proud of young crop

PHIL Joy attempts to break through a Crusaders tackle.

SCOTT Naylor was the proudest man in Wrexham after watching his young Oldham side give unbeaten league leaders North Wales Crusaders a massive fright.

Lewis Palfrey had a chance to level the scores with the last kick of a fiercely-contested yet superbly

entertaining match, but his conversion attempt off the right-hand touchline swung wide of the far post to give the Welsh side a 22-20 victory.

Disappointing though that was, Naylor was happy that Roughyeds had deserved at least a draw and had looked a completely different side to the one beaten 48-12 at the same venue in the Northern Rail Cup on the opening day of the season.

The Oldham coach said: “No words right now can express how proud I am of this Oldham team, the youngest in the division. They are the most committed and hardest-working group of young players I’ve ever been associated with.

“What the boys did was just one more sign that everything is moving in the right direction.

“Last time we were here we conceded a few points just after half-time, as we did again — 16 points in seven minutes, in fact. But the difference in our response this time was unbelievable.

“As the season has gone on we have become mentally stronger, tougher and fitter and those qualities are taking us a long way, as Crusaders discovered when we got well on top at the back end of each half.

“Crusaders are recognised as the best and most experienced team in the division, full of quality players and ex-internationals, yet we matched them for all but that silly seven minutes just after half time.”

“We got a bonus point out of it but I can truthfully say we deserved more, and I’m sure every Oldham supporter would concur with that view.”