RU men in Vase victory

OLDHAM RUFC remain on the road to Twickenham after Saturday’s hard-earned 15-11 victory at home to St Benedicts in the EDF Energy Senior Vase.

They played well for long periods of the match, even though they were shoved about by a much bigger Saints pack.

Oldham were hampered by the loss of two of their regular eight as Rob Fryer and Dean McEwan were both ruled out through injury.

At least they were able to count on the return of player-coach Steve Molloy whose experience helped strengthen the pack which included No 8 Ross Cooper and young back-row man Jack Taylor, who both had good games.

Winger Andy Gorey gave Oldham a fifth-minute lead after a well worked try which began with the local side winning a scrum against the head inside their own 22-metre line.

Cooper made a blindside break to release Gareth Barber who in turn slipped a pass to right-winger Gorey who scored in the corner. Barber failed to land the conversion.

Saints reduced the deficit to 5-3 on the half-hour with a penalty from Carl Hiddleston, and that was how the scoreline stood at half time.

Hiddleston kicked Saints ahead early in the second half and with 10 minutes left it looked as though it was not going to be Oldham’s day.

They had umpteen chances, but it was one of those afternoons when they did not get the rub of the green.

Oldham eventually made a breakthrough after 70 minutes when Adam Langley started the move, Barber collected his own punt downfield and then delivered a deadly cross kick to the right corner for Cooper to score.

Barber kicked a difficult conversion from the touchline and minutes later added a penalty as Oldham suddenly looked home and dry with a 15-6 advantage.

But in the last minute of regulation time came a try from Hiddleston following a rolling maul, and suddenly Saints were back in with a shout.

And it left Oldham having to anxiously survive several minutes of stoppage time.