LOSING 46-0 at half-time, Roughyeds did much better in the second half before finishing on the wrong end of a 64-12 scoreline against in-form Doncaster at the Vestacare Stadium.
The Dons, who thus made it five wins in a row, showed their confidence pre-match by leaving out star man Watson Boas as a precaution.
It didn’t show. They scored through Oldham’s weak left-side defence on each of the first two occasions they were in possession and at 10-0 up after six minutes they were already on their way.
To fill Boas’s absence, coach Richard Horne switched Connor Robinson from full-back to half-back and he and his fellow half Ben Johnson, the latter in particular, played star roles in this easy win for the visitors.
Our starting line-up was very similar to the one beaten by Rochdale last time out, with the notable exception of Martyn Ridyard’s absence. Our captain, ace goalkicker and organiser-in-chief will miss the next two games because of suspension, but he missed this one because he picked up a knock against Rochdale, thus missing his first game since he signed.
Sean Slater and Robbie Butterworth, himself returning from suspension, played half-back, but with Doncaster’s forwards so much on top and showing remarkable resolve, energy and enthusiasm, as did the entire side, the Oldham halves were on a hiding to nothing.
Eight of Doncaster’s 11 tries were scored in the first half. Roughyeds hardly saw the ball and with the sun beating down, it was no game in which to be constantly trying to defend – not against this Doncaster side anyway. It didn’t help that Roughyeds conceded the first five penalties of the game and didn’t get their first until seven minutes into the second half.
Roughyeds hardly ever got out of their own half and at 46-0 down, the interval hooter came as welcome relief.
Whatever was said at half-time had the desired effect. Oldham looked much more “up for it” and within 12 minutes had scored a couple of good tries by Luke Nelmes and Owen Restall. Butterworth converted both, the latter from way out on the right-hand touchline, and this great start to the second half clearly raised spirits and self belief.
For long periods of the second half there was little between the teams before Doncaster regained the initiative with three more converted tries.
Jonathan Openshaw, lively again from dummy half, received Oldham’s man-of-he-match award while new boy Oli Field, who came off the bench, received the ‘Magic Moment’ prize.
Scorers:
Oldham — goals, Butterworth 2/2; tries, Nelmes, Restall.
Doncaster — goals, Robinson 10/11; tries, Smeaton, McConnell, Johnston (2), Ollett-Hobson (2), Petersen, Ruan (2), Tali, Holdstock.
OLDHAM: Restall; Copland, Wellington, Carr, Hartley; Slater, Butterworth; Nelmes. Yarrow, Spencer, Windrow, Cameron, Whittel. Subs: Openshaw, Field, Coventry, Newton.
DONCASTER: Taulapapa; Halliday, Storey, Tali, Corion; Johnston, Robinson; Foster, Burns, Holdstock, Smeaton, Ollett-Hobson , McConnell; Subs: Petersen, Ruan, Roberts, Robeeb.
Referee: Cameron Worsley; HT: 0-46; Pens: 5-8. Yellow card, Petersen (Doncaster) 48 mins.
