Firsts flying!

Photo: TIM ABRAM

TRYING TIMES: there is a look of dejection on the face of a North Manchester rival as Oldham’s Will Mellor dives in for a second-half try.

RUGBY UNION: 

REFRESHED from their week off, Oldham hammered local rivals North Manchester 71-5 at Manor Park to add fresh impetuts o their North Lancashire Division One campaign.

Last time leaders Oldham lost their unbeaten run on the last play of the game against title rivals Littleborough. But there was little prospect of back-to-back defeats here, even if it did take a while for early pressure to translate into a points advantage in what was overall a slightly sloppy display.

The opening try came when Jordan McEwan and Gareth Barber combined to put Charlie Roscoe into a gap, and the full-back registered again to go under the posts from Barber’s pass.

Callum Megram converted, but soon afterwards Roscoe went off with a broken thumb. Hamer stepped into the gap.

Oldham went further ahead when Barber’s kick from a penalty provided a line-out close to the line. John Souter touched down and Megram converted for 19-0. A bonus point try followed when Megram scored after exploiting broken play.

At 33-0 at the start of the second half, Oldham were untidy from the off and North Manchester went in for their only score after working a good line-out move on the back of a penalty.

Oldham fought back and two tries in the final three minutes rounded off the scoring. But Oldham will need to be more clinical in future to gain reward against better sides within the division.