OLDHAM’s indiscipline cost them dearly as they could not claw back a commanding lead from a hardened Hunslet team who won 21-8.
Roughyeds had Hunslet under sustained pressure for a massive chunk of the first half but a lack of cutting edge meant they only gained a 2-0 lead, through a Martyn Ridyard penalty goal after half an hour.
There was a late shift in personnel after Oldham’s new man Jamie Ellis, who was set to make his debut in the halves, pulled up with an injury late on with Kian Morgan stepping into his role.
Roughyeds thought they had scored early in the game after Zac Baker dived for the line, but the referee ruled he knocked on.
Oldham had a stranglehold on the Parksiders during the opening 30 minutes, but they stood firm to Ridyard’s kicks and there was no way in.
Minutes after Ridyard’s goal, awarded for a high shot on Connor Carr, Hunslet sparked into life out of nowhere when Myles Lawford spotted a gap on the right and went over for a try, after being put in by Matty Beharrell who evaded tacklers.
Shortly after, Jack Render — who has been deadly for the Parksiders this year — doubled Hunslet’s score as he dived over on the wing just before half-time.
The game was totally flipped on its head with those two scores against the run of play.
And in the second half, Hunslet picked up where they left off through Ollie Burton, who Roughyeds struggled to get a handle on, when he got their third after he spotted a gap.
Hunslet added another two points when they were awarded a penalty, but there was hope when Oldham produced an instant response.
Carr showed desire when he clawed the ball out of the air from Ridyard’s kick off, and he powered over to score his fifth of the season.
Buoyed by the try, Roughyeds went close when Gregg McNally and Kian Morgan put in grubber kicks towards the Hunslet goal line, but they were dealt with.
Then came a costly sin-binning when Deane Meadows tripped a Hunslet attacker as they won a 20 metre restart, and Oldham didn’t seem to recover.
Oldham survived with twelve, but insult was added to injury shortly before Meadows was due to return.
As Hunslet were advancing, one of their players was taken out off the ball which, on first glance, looked accidental but the referee awarded a penalty.
A fracas ensued and, after a conversation with the touch judges, referee Kevin Moore upgraded the initial penalty decision to a sin-binning for Luke Nelmes.
With effectively 12 men for the duration of the last 20 minutes, Oldham found it tough to find a way back into the game.
There was a late break after some good work at dummy-half by Matty Wilkinson, but his grubber only found Hunslet hands.
And a drop-goal, minutes from the end, by Mike Knowles secured the two points for Hunslet.
There is a chance for Roughyeds to reset and reflect — as well as getting bodies back fresh — for a final push going into the play-offs, where the two may yet meet again.
Scorers: Oldham: goals, Ridyard 2/2; tries, Carr
Hunslet: goals, Beharrell 4/2; tries, Lawford, Render, Burton
Teams:
OLDHAM: McNally; Rawsthorne, Carr, Hirst, Gabriel; Ridyard, Morgan; Nelmes, Wilkinson, Johnson, Baker, Cameron, Whittel. Subs: Slater, Meadows, Moran, Wilson (all used). 18th Man: Newton.
HUNSLET: Watson; Render, Ryder, Burton, Goddard; Beharrell, Lawford; H. Hallas, S. Hallas, Crossley, Jordan-Roberts, York, Knowles. Subs: Burton, Wray, Green, Syme (all used). 18th Man: Wheeler
Referee: Kevin Moore; HT: 12-2; Pens: 7-2.
