Last-gasp success for gritty ‘A’ team

RUGBY UNION: OLDHAM A earned a 19-13 win at Burnage A thanks to a gritty, determined display.

They had the perfect start when, from the kick-off, the Oldham forwards had Burnage panicking as the closed in on the catcher. Two attempted clearance kicks were charged down by Michael Collinge, the second of which ended up over the try line for Collinge to drop on to the loose ball for the opening score after only 42 seconds.

Scott Danby added the conversion but, for the next ten minutes, Burnage bombarded the Oldham defence and reduced the arrears with a penalty for offside at a ruck.

A last ditch tackle by Oldham captain Matt Jakeman, which dislodged the ball from the winger’s grasp, denied the home side a try before Oldham extended their advantage.

Danby picked up a ball in centre field just inside his own half and made an arcing run which got him around the home side’s defence. A deft pass to the supporting Rob Froggett set the big fellow racing down the wing before he supplied a great pass to winger Owen Davies to score just inside the corner flag.

After losing second-row Andy Wood, who suffered a bite to his arm, Oldham’s defence went to sleep and Burnage reduced the half-time deficit to 12-8 when they scored wide out on the left.

And more Burnage pressure after the break lead to a series of penalties from which the home side edged in front 13–12 with an unconverted try.

Oldham were under pressure for long periods but, with time running out, Owen Davies made a break up the wing and his kick was put into touch by Burnage.

Just before the line out the referee called the last play and Oldham set up a juggernaut of a rolling maul that almost got them over the line.

From the resulting ruck, scrum-half Matty Collins moved the ball to Danby, who off-loaded for Rob Froggett to somehow force his way between defenders to plant the ball on the line between the posts.

Danby’s simple conversion confirmed victory.


INJURY-HIT Oldham 4ths suffered a 40-14 mauling at Aldwinians 4th.

The home side showed what good preparation and warm-up can do for a team by putting in the more organised rugby and scoring two quick tries, one converted, in the first 15 minutes.

Two penalties and another converted try followed for the home side, with Oldham temporarily down to 14 men, before the visitors scored a well-constructed try, converted by Sean Barrett, to make it 27-7 at the interval.

Aldwinians again made a quick start to the second period and soon added another try.

Stung into action, Oldham were unlucky not to score when two passes were put down with the line in sight and Paul Goodier was denied by a slightly forward pass with the line at his mercy.

Aldwinians made the most of the fresh players available to them, and the two occasions when Oldham were again down to 14 men due to injury, to score two more tries.

A late touchdown by Luke Smith, converted by Barrett, was scant consolation for Oldham.


THE Vets lost 26-12 to a younger, quicker Aldwinians 3rd.

Chris Pickles gave Oldham the lead, breaking from a scrum on the blind side and touching down under the posts for Danny Simpson to convert.

And they extended their lead when Lee Moran chased down a kick through to score a try in the corner.

However, Aldwinians made several substitutions - their second team having been called off - and introduced some quality backs who soon put Oldham on the back foot.

The home side struggled to keep pace with Aldwinians as they scored four second-half tries, three converted.