Five-star firsts simply superb

Photo: Picture by CHRIS SUNDERLAND

THEY’RE BEHIND YOU: Oldham’s John Souter is pursued by a posse of North Manchester opponents.

RUGBY:

OLDHAM RUFC 1ST XV 36, NORTH MANCHESTER 17
OLDHAM made it five wins from as many home games in North Lancashire Division One.

In doing so, they ran in six tries to take their season’s tally at Manor Park to 31.

The visitors, containing players from 18 to 50, were no pushovers and gave Oldham plenty to think about. In the early exchanges, Oldham tried to force the game and squandered possession when the ball should have been retained and set up. And it was North Manchester who took the lead with a well-worked try from Alan Johnson.

Oldham responded when Mark Brocklehurst completed a move involving Phil Graham, Gareth Barber and John Gillam, Barber converting to make it 7-5. Soon after, Dean McEwen barged over and Barber converted again. On the half-hour, Jordan McEwan put the finishing touches to a fine move by the backs, but the visitors hit back with a Luke Corrington try to trail 21-10 at the break.

In the second half, Adam Waterhouse scored two tries for Oldham, the first from a tap penalty and the second following a break from the impressive Jack Hawkins. In between, North Manchester went over through Gareth Duffy.

Brocklehurst completed the try scoring to make it a comfortable win for Oldham, who travel to Merseyside on Saturday to take on leaders Benedicts, who lost for the first time at the weekend at the hands of Bolton.