DESPITE a late fight-back, Roughyeds suffered their first loss of the season as they ran out of time against Doncaster.
After two late tries from Sean Slater and Jordan Paga, Oldham were awarded a scrum deep in Doncaster territory with seconds to go, but agonisingly the hooter went before it could be played.
It was a case of what could have been for Roughyeds who, in the first half, had Doncaster under sustained pressure early on, but they struggled to spot gaps and Dons had the answers.
Had Iain Thornley, who had a good game on dual-registration from Wigan Warriors, not dropped the ball as he was grounding the ball the game could have been a different story.
Dons proved tough to handle with their unstructured play and an offload by Luke Cooper, just as he was being wrapped up, set them away for their first score, as Oldham scrambled to get a hold on them.
Jason Tali regularly found joy down Oldham’s right edge and his line break paved the way for Elliot Hall to score under the sticks, which Connor Robinson converted.
Shortly after, Brad Hey got his name on the scoresheet when the Roughyeds defence finally caved after defending four repeat sets on their own line, but Robinson couldn’t add the extras.
It was Dons’ unstructured play that got the better of them when they knocked on 10 metres from their own line after they attempted an offload.
Roughyeds took the invitation and, immediately after regaining the ball, Thornley got on the scoresheet.
That didn’t knock Doncaster who regained the lead on the last play when they opted to run rather than kick, 20 metres out.
It looked like an untidy end to the set from Dons until a long kick found Tom Halliday, on the opposite side of the field in acres of space, and he scored in the corner unopposed.
Doncaster extended their advantage in the second half when, on the last play, they broke through the Roughyeds line.
There was more than a hint of a forward pass when the ball found its way to the scorer Brett Ferres — but the touch judge, who had his flag raised, was overruled.
Moments later, Dons shifted the ball out left and then went right, as they found Elliot Hall who scored his second try of the afternoon in the corner.
With the scores at 26-4, Roughyeds had work to do and the comeback started through Zac Baker.
With some good field position, they loaded men over to the left and Baker used his strength to power his way over for a try.
Next, Slater caught Doncaster napping when he burst out of dummy half some 15 or so metres out and scored unopposed.
Then came the try from Paga who wriggled free of the Dons defenders to score after he busted a gut to collect Martyn Ridyard’s kick.
But, before Roughyeds could inflict more damage, Doncaster were saved by the hooter.
Scorers: Oldham: goals, Ridyard 3/4; tries, Thornley, Baker, Slater, Paga
Doncaster: goals, Robinson 3/5; tries, Hall x2, Hey, Halliday, Ferres
Teams:
OLDHAM: Morgan; Hartley, Thornley, Carr, Ah Van; Ridyard, Paga; Blagbrough, Wilkinson, Nelmes, Ferry, Baker, Whittel. Subs: Slater, Newton, Thornton, Meadows (all used). 18th Man: Hirst.
DONCASTER: Hall; Halliday, Hey, Tali, Sanderson; Johnston, Robinson; Cooper, Burns Foster, Smeaton, Ferres, McConnell (all used). 18th Man: Ollet-Hobson.
