A SECOND half Roughyeds onslaught, which saw them score seven tries, made up for an error-strewn first half.
As the game went on, Oldham belatedly showed why they have lost just one game all season when they exposed big gaps in a Midlands side which caused Roughyeds a number of problems in the first forty.
Martyn Ridyard made up for his earlier kicking errors as he scored two eye-catching tries which helped secure another win on the road.
Samy Kibula, on his debut for Oldham, came off the bench and added a steeliness to the Roughyeds side which struggled in the opening stages.
Kian Morgan, on Oldham’s left edge, was lively in attack and his hard work was rewarded with a try – his first this season.
Hurricanes’ first score came from a cross-field kick which was fumbled, and first to pounce was Castleford loanee Jacob Beer whose try was converted by Ben Stead.
There was an opportunity for an instant response after Midlands kicked out on the full, and a strong carry by Nelmes put Oldham in good field position, but it was wasted when they knocked on.
It took twenty minutes for the leveller, which came from Deane Meadows who spotted a gap as Midlands were defending their try line, and he powered his way over for a try which Ridyard converted.
But Roughyeds were unable to gain a foothold in the game as they came up with more ball handling errors.
Then Midlands edged in front through a Stead penalty after they went close with a couple of grubber kicks towards Oldham’s line.
Matters got worse for Stuart Littler’s side when Ridyard kicked out on the full and, in the next set, Midlands tried another grubber kick which, this time, was pounced upon by Chris Cullimore.
But then Oldham were gifted an opportunity, in the closing stages of the first half, when Hurricanes knocked on ten metres from their own try line.
Space was spotted on the left which McNally exploited as he threw a lovely ball to Pat Ah Van who grounded to level the scores at the break.
Oldham then started to exert their authority in the game, and they took the lead early in the second half, after Ridyard ran through the Midlands line.
With options left and right, Ridyard – who has provided so many tries this year – fancied one of his own and he scored under the sticks.
Shortly after, Oldham came again and Ah Van was the benefactor as the ball was shifted left and he got another try in the corner.
Ridyard then made the score 28-12 when he stretched out an arm, as Midlands tried to scramble back, to get his second try.
Oldham nearly had another when a fabulous break out of dummy-half from Sean Slater set Kibula away, but Hurricanes were let off when his kick went dead.
Determined Midlands fought back and, from a scrum, Hayden Freeman was let loose on the wing and he galloped some 50 or so metres to get Hurricanes back in the game.
Oldham wanted more and Luke Nelmes went close after some good work by Kian Morgan, before Jordan Paga put in an inch perfect low-driven kick which George Hirst took full advantage of, as he powered his way over.
Morgan was at the heart of Roughyeds’ next score, again, when he broke through the line and set Paga away to score under the sticks.
Morgan wasn’t finished, and his hard work was rewarded when he got a try of his own after he spotted a gap, as the ball was shifted left.
Oldham’s battling character shone through in the dying stages of the game when Midlands were awarded two six again’s deep on the Roughyeds try line.
There was no way in for Hurricanes as Oldham defended set after set, and there was time for one more when Dom Newton pounced on a kick to score under the posts.
Oldham maintained their third place position in League One as attention now turns to Hunslet who are just one point behind.
Scorers:
Oldham: goals, Ridyard 7/9; tries, Meadows, Ah Van x2, Ridyard x2, Hirst, Paga, Morgan, Newton. Midlands: goals, Stead 2/4; tries, Beer, Cullimore, Freeman
Teams:
OLDHAM: McNally; Brierley, Carr, Morgan, Ah Van; Ridyard, Paga; Meadows, Wilkinson, Nelmes, Cameron, Hirst, Whittel. Subs: Slater, Kibula, Newton, Moran (all used). 18th Man: James Thornton
MIDLANDS: Hill; Johnson, Welham, Hallett, Freeman; Stead, Brook; Moran, Windley, Bailey, Dawson, Beer, Welham. Subs: Cullimore, Richardson, Coventry, Mhuklani. (all used). 18th Man: Hepple.
Referee: Bradley Milligan; HT: 12-12; Pens: 4-7
