Oldham RU edged out at Bury

Full of confidence after last week’s last gasp victory over Fleetwood in the cup, Oldham RUFC arrived at Bury with the wind in their sails.

However, the local side were beaten 22-20.

The pack was bolstered by the returning former retirees Nick Hackman, Rhys Jones, and Jordan McEwan started at 10 for Oldham.

The game started frantically with Oldham setting the pace early on, with some big carries from Josh Semple and Isaac Dobbs.

This pressure led to the hosts conceding an early penalty for not rolling away, Oldham elected to take the points and Alex Jobson slotted the kick.

From the restart Bury gained momentum and pinned Oldham back in their half before a crunching tackle from young Sean Carter forced a knock on.

From the resulting scrum Lewis Ward found Tom Davies who launched a pin point kick deep into enemy territory hitting a 50/22.

Unfortunately from the resulting catch and drive at the lineout Oldham were penalised and Bury survived.

However, the hosts struggled to get free from their own half, and were driven back onto the edge of their own 22 by big tackles from the Oldham pack.

Excellent tackling by Davies earned Oldham another penalty 22m out in front of the sticks.

Once again Jobson was on target, 0-6 to the Oldham.

Bury now turned up the heat and began to apply pressure with slick hands and finally found a way through the Oldham defence, a deceptively flat pass found a Bury attacker hitting a hard line and they were through and under the posts. 7-6 to the hosts.

This seemed to shock life back into the Oldham who struck back almost immediately, after several phases of forward drives, Oldham's McEwan spied a gap in behind the Bury line and chipped over the top, the ball bounced over the try line and the on rushing Davies beat the Bury winger to the ball and dotted down for the try.

Jobson slotted the difficult kick on the angle and the Oldham led again, 7-13.

Straight from the restart the young Harvey Ward lost the flight of the ball and Bury looked to be in.

However, a fantastic tackle from winger Phil Conroy thwarted the attack, but the danger was not over.

Oldham were again penalised at the breakdown and the Bury scrumhalf took a quick tap and weaved through the Oldham defence, who had fallen asleep.

Bury scored under the posts and the simple conversation was successful, Bury regained the lead 14-13.

Bury kicked deep into the Oldham 22 and Lewis Ward dived on the loose ball and inexplicably tried to call a mark but Oldham secured the ball and Davies cleared from his own goal line into the Bury half.

Bury were again penalised at the breakdown and Oldham elected to take the points, a rare miss from Jobson and the score remained the same.

Bury had the last word before half time as they built phases and pinned Oldham back on their own goal line.

A big hit from Harvey Ward temporarily stopped their progress until Bury broke through and looked certain to score, but Conroy again appeared with a huge hit that forced a knock on, Oldham escaped and the half came to an end with just one point in it.

The second half was a much cagier affair with both sides trading blows with little in the way of clear cut chances.

It’s Oldham who slip up first, however, a penalty for an infringement at the breakdown gave Bury a chance to extend their lead, which they did from the tee, 17-13 to Bury.

Bury, now with the wind at their backs, begin to start moving the ball quickly through their hands and slice Oldham open.

With the try line begging the final pass is intercepted by McEwan, sparing Oldham’s blushes.

However, Bury came again down the blind side and yet another excellent tackle by Conroy, knocking the ball loose and giving Oldham the chance to breathe.

Oldham attempted to run it from behind their own posts and look to be away through Louis Fitton, however his pass is knocked down.

A knock on but the referee e said it was in the tackle and play on. Bury scoop the ball up and walk over for a try, the conversion missed. 22-13 and the game seems to be getting away from Oldham

However, Oldham gathered momentum and great carries from Fitton and Owen Hewson got Oldham deep into Bury's 22.

They won a penalty and kicked to the corner.

A catch and drive from the resulting lineout forced Bury back to their own try line.

Carter collected from the back of the maul and drove his way over for a try. Once again Jobson converted on the angle, 22-20 and all to play for with 20 minutes left on the clock.

Straight from the restart, another Oldham mistake as Semple knocked on, Bury tried driving through the forwards but Semple tackled superbly to win a penalty for not releasing.

Oldham won yet another penalty just outside the Bury 22 but Davies got too greedy with the kick to the corner and the ball went dead, another wasted chance.

The game started to become frantic in the final minutes and Oldham’s Carter leaped like a salmon at the line out to steal the ball and Lewis Ward collected off his boot laces.

Oldham drove around 30m out from the Bury line, who were then penalised at the breakdown.

Oldham elected to take the points. Jobson put his kick just wide.

The score remained 22-20 with little more than a few minutes to go.

Bury kicked long and Fitton carried forward breaking through tackles, released the ball to Lewis Ward who was free on the wing, but the ball was knocked on and the attack came to nothing.

With nothing more than seconds on the clock, it is once again Oldham who had possession, patient slow phase play was required and Oldham's forwards obliged edging their way into Bury's territory.

But once again Oldham were the architects of their own downfall, Rhys Jones hit a hard line back towards the blind side and the ball is lost forward, Bury escaped and took the victory 22-20.

However, mistakes aside, this was a very strong performance from Oldham, who look rejuvenated after last season’s woes and appear to be gaining momentum every week.

MOM was given to Dobbs for his excellent drives breaking the gain line on many occasions, but it was a close call with Conroy pushing him close with several try-saving tackles.

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