Barber cuts down the league leaders

Rugby Union: OLDHAM were in scintillating form as they saw off unbeaten North Lancashire One leaders Trafford MV 21-17 at Manor Park.

Oldham lacked three key forwards in pack leader Jake Watson, back-row Jack Taylor and prop Paul Watson. The side, at an average age of 23, was one of youngest squads ever to represent the club.

Twelve of the 17-man squad were 23 or younger and prop Tom Hannan made his first-team debut at 19.

Trafford opened the scoring after five minutes when Pat Eccles slotted over a penalty following a high tackle.

Trafford made lots of ground in the Oldham defence and Eccles dived over for the first try, which he also converted.

Gareth Barber skipped and danced through the defence to bag Oldham’s first try after 23 minutes, with Callum Megram popping over a difficult kick to make it 10-7.

On the half-hour mark a break from Trafford’s Paul Hodgson resulted in a try which Eccles converted, but Oldham struck back before the break.

Barber put a lovely kick behind the defence and Max Horsfall picked the ball up and went over.

Megram again converted a difficult kick, meaning a half-time deficit of only 17-14 was the tonic Oldham needed to get back into the contest.

Shortly after the restart a scrum eight metres from the Trafford line saw the Oldham forwards drive the opposition back and Stuart Brennan picked the ball up and dived over the line to put them in front.

Megram converted to make it 21-17, a lead the hosts were to hang on to with their lives.

In the dying seconds Trafford broke though in numbers, with three players seemingly having a clear route to the line. However, Will Mellor chased back and brought produced a match-winning tackle.