Poor start proves costly

JUMP TO IT: Oldham’s Adam Waterhouse and Kirkby’s Mathew Hughes (with scrum cap) contest a line-out. Picture by CHRIS SUNDERLAND.

RUGBY UNION: A POOR first-half display cost Oldham Rugby Union dearly as they slipped to a 46-7 home defeat to Kirkby Lonsdale in North Lancs/Cumbria Division.

Trailing 34-0 at the interval, Oldham performed much better after the break and were rewarded with a 57th minute try from Gareth Barber, Mark Goodman converting.

However, the damage had already been done in the first period in which they struggled to cope with a bigger Kirkby pack, although the forwards held their own in the lineouts and did well with the rolling maul.

In trying to play an expansive game, the backs were guilty of forcing the final pass, resulting in too much turnover ball.

Kirkby exploited this weakness with first-half tries from Callum Hodges, Ian Wilcock, Dave Wallace and Mark Hughes. Colin Harper added three conversions and a penalty.

Trevor Groves added another try earlier in the second half before Oldham responded through Barber and it was a close contest until Hughes touched down for Kirkby in the dying moments, Harper converting.




OLDHAM’S second team crashed to a 62-0 defeat at title-chasing Ashton Mersey.



It was a far cry from early season when Oldham just came out on top.

This time they repeatedly turned over possession and were given such a pounding on defence that four players had to retire from the pitch in the first half, among them influential scrum-half Matty Collins and pack man John Souter.

There was little respite after the break as Ashton Mersey scored tries at will and, with Oldham under constant pressure, added seven penalties in quick succession to put them out of sight.




THE third team defeated Littleborough 3rd 17-3 in an entertaining game played in a good spirit.



After lending Littleborough a player to bring them up to strength, Oldham dominated the opening exchanges but were denied by some good defence.

However, they made the breakthrough when John Leech rounded off a powerful forward drive, Lee Whitehead landing a difficult conversion.

It was nip and tuck until the second half when Chris Shipman scored his third try of the season following some excellent link-up play between forwards and backs.

As tiredness set in, Mark Fitton added a try after some top-draw passing from the backs, but captain Paul Watson managed to hit the underside of the bar from 10 yards out dead centre with his conversion attempt.

Kevin Gollum and Phil Walmsley were outstanding for Oldham with their all-round contribution.




OLDHAM Vets/4th team travelled to Littleborough 4th and came away with a comprehensive 62-6 win.



On arrival, Littleborough notified Oldham that they were short of players and would have to forfeit the game but, after discussion, it was decided that Oldham would lend the home side five players to make up their numbers.

From the start, though, it was obvious that the mish- mash Littleborough side were going to struggle against a very strong Oldham outfit.

First-half tries for Oldham came from Dom Hall, Mathew Burgess (2), Simon Lockwood and Rick Brierley while second-half touchdowns went to Chris Pickles, John Selby, Dom Hall, Simon Lockwood and Neil Forsyth.

John Selby converted six of the tries, Littleborough’s points coming from two penalties as the referee sensibly only played 30 minutes each way.