Lovgreen helps out after nightmare motorway trip

RUGBY UNION:

Garstang 11, Oldham RUFC 11

OLDHAM shrugged off their late arrival at Garstang due to traffic hold-ups by securing a draw.

Oldham’s outward journey to The Oaks was fraught with problems, giving Guy Lovgreen’s side little time to warm up.

Garstang scored after five minutes but was unable to convert.

Both sides started to make mistakes in possession — a pattern that repeated for the rest of the game.

It looked like Oldham might put pressure on Garstang, but the hosts were awarded and scored a penalty.

From the kick-off, Oldham gained possession and Martin Hamer and Charlie Roscoe took the ball forward to the Garstang 22, where the visitors were awarded a penalty. Jordan McEwan threaded the ball through the posts to pull back three points.

Again from the kick-off, John Souter drove the ball forward and released Jake Watson, who put Gareth Barber through a gap.

He fed the supporting Hamer, who drew the full-back before passing back inside to Barber to race in from 35 metres. McEwan hit the post from wide, but the scores were level at 8-8.

With 15 minutes left, coach Lovgreen resurrected his playing career and was immediately in the thick of the game, producing a good tackle on his opposite wing and a few minutes later making a great kick into the Garstang half.

The next mistake looked like it would provide the winning score and this seemed to be the case

when Garstang gained another penalty for offside.

The number 10 went for goal to secure an 11-8 lead with only five minutes remaining.

Oldham won possession from the kick off, with Souter and Ryan North driving to the Garstang 22.

They were awarded a penalty in front of the posts, but with the referee playing advantage they continued forward to the Garstang line only to be held up.

The referee brought back play for the penalty and McEwan coolly slotted it through the posts to make it 11-11.