AFTER the jubilation of a win against Workington at Boundary Park in mid-week, Roughyeds were brought back down to earth when they lost 18-10 to Midlands at the Vestacare Stadium.
It was Oldham’s third game in seven days – a tough ask for a Super League side, let alone Oldham’s part-time rugby players, many of whom travel long distances to play for the club.
With that in mind, it was a much-changed Oldham side with Nick Rawsthorne at full-back, Jordan Paga at stand-off and Pat Moran at loose-forward – positions they were playing in for the first time this season as the Roughyeds’ coaching staff did their best to manage the short turnaround.
Understandably, Oldham were disjointed in attack and unable to play their usual quick-paced, flamboyant way which we have been accustomed to this year.
Roughyeds’ wingers, who have been deadly this season, were starved of service as Oldham failed to gain enough territory and pressure to properly test the Hurricanes.
From a Midlands point of view, they were solid in defence, quick off the line and disrupted the division’s second best attack.
With ball-in-hand, Hurricanes caused a number of problems and Jacob Hookem, on dual-registration from Castleford Tigers, was at the heart of all of their plays.
In an attempt to shift the momentum back in Oldham’s favour, Martyn Ridyard was brought on for the second half, but it proved fruitless.
Had Matty Welham timed his runs right, Midlands could have been four scores in front at the break as he scored off the back of three Hookem kicks – all of which were, rightly, given as offside.
For the first ten minutes or so, Oldham were knocking on the door, but despite several six again’s, and two penalties, they never looked like scoring.
Roughyeds didn’t heed the warnings after referee Matty Lynn ruled out three Welham tries and, just before the half-hour mark, it was Hookem – who looks set for a bright future in the game – whose trickery out of dummy-half meant he was able to sneak in to score.
Oldham thought they had an instant response when Luke Nelmes powered for the line from close range, but he knocked on after Jordan Paga he batted back Ridyard’s kick, which meant Oldham kept possession from the restart.
It was a similar story to the reverse fixture at the Alexander Stadium, but this time there was no Oldham comeback and, seven minutes into the second forty, Midlands doubled their lead.
Mackenzie Turner was the beneficiary when Midlands overloaded men out right and he scored in the corner.
Another two points were added after Hookem kicked a penalty, which made the score 14-0.
Whenever it looked like the tide was turning, Oldham came up with an error.
They were nearly in when Matty Wilkinson broke through the Midlands line but, as he attempted to play in Morgan, it was fumbled.
Finally, just after an hour gone, something stuck and a perfectly-weighted pass from Paga, who was back at full-back in the second half, meant Rawsthorne pulled one back.
Five minutes from time, Oldham got to within one score when Jordan Paga creeped through a gap to score, after selling a dummy.
Roughyeds sensed a second comeback of the week, and it might have been on had Zac Baker held onto the ball after he broke through the line, but it wasn’t to be and, two minutes from time, any hopes of an Oldham victory were killed off when Aaron Levy powered his way over.
Results elsewhere meant that even if Oldham had won, they would still be heading to Doncaster next Sunday for the first round of the play-offs.
Roughyeds will use this time to rest and recover, as well as hopefully getting the likes of Gregg McNally and Jamie Ellis back into the fore, for their biggest game of the season.
Scorers:
Oldham: goals, Ridyard 1/2; tries, Rawsthorne, Paga Midlands: goals, Hookem 4/4; tries, Hookem, Turner, Levy
Teams:
OLDHAM: Rawsthorne; Hartley, Carr, Morgan, Ah Van; Paga, Tyrer; Blagbrough, Slater, Newton, Cameron, Baker, Moran. Subs: Wilkinson, Nelmes, Johnson, Ridyard (all used). 18th Man: Bardsley
MIDLANDS: Horner; Freeman, L. Welham, M. Welham, Turner; Sweeting, Hookem; Kirkby, Barcoe, Hobson, Levy, Wilkinson, Willis. Subs: Windley, Moran, Bowring, Clavering (all used). 18th Man: Cullimore
Referee: Matty Lynn; HT: 0-6; Pens: 9-4; Att: 472
