Depleted RU in spirited display

RUGBY UNION: A YOUNG Oldham RU first team turned in a spirited display despite losing 41-7 at Keswick in North Lancs/Cumbria division.

Forced to make eight changes to the original squad, late replacements Owen Davies, Rob Froggatt, Jake Watson and Jake Hawkins helped reduced the average age to 20 years.

Against a bigger, more experienced home side, that power was always going to show.

However, Oldham certainly had their moments, with wingers Owen Davies and Kyle Howard looking dangerous, the latter unlucky not to score a hat-trick of tries.

Keswick went ahead after 11 minutes with a try from John McKenzie, converted by Darren Hine who also added a penalty.

Two further touchdowns in quick succession enabled the home side to build a 22-0 interval lead.

Oldham lost Andy Gorey to injury, with Rob Froggatt moving from the forwards to full-back and showing up well as Keswick tried to put him under pressure.

However, despite the best efforts of the forwards, led by acting captain Ross Cooper, Oldham fell further behind to a 64th minute converted try.

Oldham struck back with an excellent score. Howard, Froggatt and Goodman combined before Howard went over for a try, converted by Goodman.

Howard twice went agonisingly close as Oldham mounted a fightback, but their efforts told in the dying minutes as Keswick scored two further tries, one converted.




A DEPLETED Oldham 2nd team, hit by first-team call-ups and injuries, went down 44-14 at Sedgley Park 3rd.



Travelling with the minimum 15 players, Oldham were under the cosh for most of the first half as Sedgley Park ran in four tries, two converted, plus a penalty to establish a 27-0 lead.

Things got worse for Oldham when prop Dean McEwan had to withdraw injured at the interval, leaving them with only 14 players.

Scott Danby got them on the scoresheet with a penalty, but the home side scored two more tries, one converted to make it 44-3.

Oldham refused to give in and were rewarded when the lively Matty Collins make a smart break through left midfield and slipped a pass to Brian Massey who beat two defenders before scoring in the corner.

Nathan Taylor then barged his way over from close range, Danby adding the conversion to give the scoreline a hint of respectability.

Youngsters Callum Megram and Joe Kidd showed up well in difficult circumstances, while John Suitor had another solid game, this time in the back row, and his fellow back-row man Mike Green got the nod as Oldham’s man of the match.




THE third team slipped to a disappointing 18-5 defeat at Littleborough 3rds.



Looking to build on the previous week’s cracking effort against De La Salle, Oldham conceded a try virtually from the kick off and there followed an indisciplined display which led to two further tries an a penalty for the home side.

Oldham’s only points came from a solo try by Anthony Beswick and they will need to get their act in order for this weekend’s reverse fixture.




OLDHAM Vets/4th team scored a resounding 47-7 win over North Manchester 2nds in the Raging Bull Plate.



After a scrappy start in poor conditions, Oldham started to take control in the forwards and Chris Pickles went over to open the scoring with a try under the posts, converted by John Selby.

Selby added two more conversions as first Mark Hodge then Glen Aylett scored tries to put Oldham in a commanding interval lead.

An excellent move among the Oldham backs saw Selby finished off with a try that he converted. And he landed two more kicks as Justin Porteus, Steve Tyrell and Chris Pickles all added touchdowns.

Manchester managed the late consolation of a converted try, but Oldham march on to a quarter-final home tie with Aldwinians on April 3.