OWEN Restall, Betfred League One’s leading try scorer, consolidated his No 1 ranking with three more tries at Rochdale to take his tally for the season so far (league matches only) to nine in four games.
The Roughyeds full-back gave an outstanding performance at the Crown Oil Arena in the first league meeting between the derby rivals for almost five years, but Hornets totally dominated the second half to win 34-18.
Roughyeds fans were asked to vote for their own team’s man of the match from Restall, Tom Spencer, Kian Morgan and Martyn Ridyard, and the full-back walked it with 70 per cent of the overall vote.
The result lifted Hornets to joint top place (third on points difference), while Roughyeds remain fifth thanks to Hunslet’s home defeat by Keighley Cougars.
By Sunday night, though, by which time ten of the 11 clubs in the division will have had an Easter game, all that could change.
Rochdale scored six tries to Oldham’s three and had the head-and-shoulders overall man of the match in local lad Lewis Sheridan, another product of Rochdale Mayfield.
The young half-back enhanced his ever-growing reputation with two tries, five goals (18 points) and two assists to stylishly create a brace of touchdowns for veteran full-back Greg McNally.
Roughyeds looked to be getting on top when they led 6-2 approaching half an hour in.
The forwards were tackling well, running hard and straight and centre Joe Hartley was twice unlucky not to break out into the open.
Young on-loan hooker Tom Forber was denied a try only by a desperate, last-ditch tackle after a stunning break from dummy half, while Hartley and Liam Copland, on the right, worked hard to chase down a kick and trap the home side in-goal.
It must have been a worried Matt Calland who brought three of his elder statesmen off the bench — Sean Penkywicz, Fui Fui Moi Moi and Joe Taira. It worked a treat and turned the game on its head.
Moi Moi and Taira made an immediate impact, Sheridan and McNally suddenly discovered they had breaking forwards whom they could support to their advantage, and the first half finished at 12-12.
Old-stager Penkywicz grew into the game and he and another ‘old head’, Rangi Chase, dictated the second half behind a pack that got on top despite the 55th minute dismissal of Callum Marriott for leading with his head, an incident that was placed on report.
Sheridan and McNally revelled in the extra space and time afforded to them as Hornets added three tries while down to 12 men.
Restall, confident, exciting and with loads of self-belief, kept Roughyeds in touch with his third try, but Roughyeds continued to make handling errors in possession and to give away penalties when Hornets had the ball.
It played into the hands of Hornets, who finished on the right side of an 8-3 penalty count, with loads of possession and a late try by McNally, off Sheridan, which wrapped it all up.
In the first half there was much to commend Oldham for, just as there was at Hunslet in the previous away game, and fans will be looking for an 80-minute show when Cornwall come to the Vestacare Stadium next Sunday.
Scorers:
Hornets — goals, Sheridan 5/7; tries, Nixon, Sheridan (2), McNally (2), Tyrer;
Oldham — goals, Ridyard 3/3; tries, Restall (3).
HORNETS: McNally; Tyrer, Calland, O’Keefe, Nixon; Chase, Sheridan; Bennion, Aspey, Marriott, Forster, Baker, Brearley. Subs: Penkywicz, Moi Moi, Taira, Killan.
OLDHAM: Restall; Copland, Hartley, Morgan, Holcroft; Ridyard, Hewitt; Nelmes, Forber, Spencer, Thornton, Ferry, Whittel. Subs: Wright, Newton, Coventry, Astley.
Att: 920 (capacity); HT: 12-12; Ref: Liam Rush; Pens: 8-3.
