Oldham secure back-to-back victories

ADM Premier Division: Heaton Moor 16-22 Oldham

For once, Oldham got off to a flying start pinning Heaton Moor deep in their own half from the kick off.  Oldham immediately ran hard and deep when Heaton Moor tried to relieve the pressure with high balls. Powerful drives by Souter and Froggatt splintered the Heaton Moor defence and Taylor and Watson combined to put Tom Hannon into a gap and he showed fantastic pace for a front row forward. He looked certain to score but an excellent last ditch tackle thwarted him inches from the line. He is an intelligent player though and off loaded to Watson who as ever was on the spot and he touched down by the posts. All note it was Josh who put him into the gap in the first place and didn’t assume his job was done and was there to complete the move. This was a well worked try which rewarded our early endeavour. Megram’s conversion made the score 0-7. 

However, Heaton Moor had not simply turned up to make up the numbers and were back in the game and opened their own account not long after with a penalty to make the score 3-7. As Oldham started to struggle with continuity, the home team grew in confidence. A number of penalties gave weight to their belief and Oldham found themselves encamped in their own 22 and unable to relieve the pressure. Heaton Moor were just on top in the scrum and opted to use this when awarded a couple of close range penalties. But Oldham dug in deep and managed to keep them at bay.

Yet another transgression saw Meggison sent to the bin for 10 minutes and the home side eventually chose to take three points from yet another penalty to make the score 6-7. This was in reality a complement to Oldham’s excellent defence led by captain for the day Luke Roscoe and Ryan Pickles. 

The game continued in a disjointed manner but Oldham we’re rewarded with a penalty when Heaton Moor struggled to deal with a probing kick on their try line. However Megram’s penalty hit the post and Oldham could not capitalise even though they were first to the bouncing ball in the 22. However, Megram converted a much more difficult penalty shortly afterwards from close to the touchline to make the score 6-10.

The kick off didn’t go 10 m but Tom Hannon dived on the bouncing ball so it was in play. This led to the best move of the game by far. From the ruck, McEwan gave a short ball to Luke Roscoe who broke the line and made a break down the centre. He offloaded to McEwan who found Watson who passed to Dalloway in space on the 22. The winger had a lot to do but he showed great determination and strength to hold off the full back and score in the corner for a special score. The touchline conversion was missed but Oldham had scored eight unanswered points whilst down to 14 men to make the score 6-15.

However as half time approached, a determined Heaton Moor were soon back on the offensive and deep in the Oldham 22. A series of penalties helped them to sustain the pressure but the shorthanded Oldham defence always looked secure. Having failed with a couple of scrum options, Heaton Moor kicked to the corner and had a line out on the 5m line on the last play to attempt a catch and drive option. However Luke Roscoe stole the ball at the front and as the half time whistle blew, Oldham led 6-15. 

The lack of continuity meant that this wasn’t easy to watch let alone play in but Oldham produced two moments of quality which gave them the half time lead. Oldham lost Wood after a couple of minutes which brought Keeling into the action early on.  Oldham were under a bit of pressure in the set piece and Heaton Moor had a lot of possession. But Oldham we’re on top in the collisions with Hackman putting in some trade mark big hits. The work put in by the full back and wingers is often overlooked or taken for granted but they require discipline, vision and organisation and Green and Townsend have loads of it and despite Oldham being shorthanded, they always looked assured and in control. 

The second half was a truly turgid affair. Heaton Moor kicked an early penalty to reduce the deficit to 9-15 and Louis Townsend was given 10 minutes in the bin. But it didn’t seem to trouble Oldham who won a penalty on half way and set up a lineout on the 22. A clean catch enabled them to set up a driving maul which proved to be irresistible as it marched to its inevitable conclusion with a touchdown by McEwan. Megram’s conversion made the score 9-22.

The rest of the half seemed to be one penalty after another and Oldham were on the receiving end of most of them. Froggatt’s huge boot enabled us to spend some limited time in Heaton Moor territory but the constant penalties meant that the yardage was given up far too easily.

Oldham lost Hannon and Roddy to yellow cards and finished the game with just 13 men on the pitch. However this ensured that Jack Sayle got a run out at loose head.  Heaton Moor had the last word when an elusive winger squeezed over on the last play and the touch line conversion gave them a hard won bonus point with the final score 16-22.

By Dave Roscoe