BOTH sides scored two tries in each half, but Swinton Lions edged a tight game 22-18 as Oldham slipped to their first defeat of pre-season at Heywood Road.
In the final analysis, the only difference was in goalkicking. Lions new boy Oscar Thomas converted three of his side’s four tries, while Roughyeds managed only one conversion by Dave Hewitt.
Playing with a thigh heavily strapped, Hewitt was taken off midway through the second half after failing to improve a Lee Kershaw try in the corner just before half-time.
It was left to Oldham debutant Adam Brook to attempt to convert second-half tries by Zack McComb and Kyran Johnson and, kicking from wide out against a fierce, swirling wind, he failed to find the target.
Oldham’s first try early in the game went to former Lions hero Richie Hawkyard, who followed up to score after a perfectly-judged Anthony Bowman kick into the Lions in-goal area.
Swinton looked the best of the three Championship sides Roughyeds have played so far, but there were plenty of positives in another strong Oldham performance ahead of next Sunday’s fourth and final warm-up game against Newcastle Thunder at the Vestacare Stadium (3pm kick off).
