A FORTNIGHT after watching his side hit the lows of a 31-0 defeat at Doncaster, Oldham boss Scott Naylor was thrilled to describe a 26-16 win at Workington as a “fantastic” result.
The four-try triumph, that avenged Town’s 32-28 win at the Vestacare Stadium on the opening day of the season in February, was manufactured by an all-round team effort in which second-row pair Danny Langtree and Danny Bridge were outstanding.
Debut-making centre Cameron Leeming also looked good on a day when Oldham’s win, combined with Whitehaven’s shock home defeat by North Wales Crusaders, enabled Naylor’s men to cut ‘Haven’s lead at the top of Betfred League 1 to one solitary point.
Having beaten Whitehaven twice already this year — at home in the league and in the 1895 Cup — Roughyeds go to the Recreation Ground on July 7 in a top-of-the-table clash that could decide the destiny of the title and automatic promotion.
Ahead of this Sunday’s clash with bottom-of-the-table West Wales Raiders at the Vestacare Stadium (3pm), Naylor said:
“We are still a little bit missing, the Doncaster game comes to mind, but the win at Workington proved that if we do the right things and play at our level we know we can have a realistic chance of winning every game we play.
“We have the ability to win each of our remaining eight league games, starting at the Vestacare this Sunday against West Wales, and that’s a nice feeling to have as we look forward to the business end of the season,
“It’s always tough to win at Workington — not many visitors do it — but we gave a top team performance in which the middle men did their job up front; the half-backs’ kicking game was spot-on; and our danger men out wide did what they do best to see us home.
“To be honest, I was never seriously worried from start to finish. I thought we always looked comfortable.”
Langtree scored two tries and made a third for Ritchie Hawkyard on the right flank, but Bridge was equally effective on the left where he formed a big and lethal triumvirate with centre Leeming and winger Harry Maders.
The new centre will probably make his home debut on Sunday when all under-16s get in free and hundreds of adult fans who attended the last home game against Keighley Cougars will have vouchers that allow them half-price admission.
