OUR 48-10 win at Workington last Sunday had club historian Michael Turner thumbing through the record books to see if it was a club record win at Derwent Park.
Much to his amazement, and to that of the many Roughyeds fans who warmed to the incisive running of young Logan Astley at stand-off and the tireless grafting of Owen Farnworth at prop, the eight-try triumph was only our THIRD biggest win up there in the 75 years or so we have been going to this tough Cumbrian outpost with its reputation for being a hard place to win.
It all began up there with the birth of the club circa 1945, the arrival of the legendary Gus Risman, who later had a brief spell at Watersheddings as manager and their 1952 appearance at Wembley against Featherstone in the Challenge Cup Final, writes ROGER HALSTEAD..
Town won 18-10; they had three Australians in the side, Tony Paskins, Johnnie Mudge and Bevan Wilson; and that brilliant loose-forward Billy Ivison won the Lance Todd Trophy. Great years for Town; great memories for us rugby league fans with more than the odd streak of silver — or no hair at all !
Since then, we have been going to Workington regularly and given that Town’s glory years more or less ran parallel with ours in the fab fifties — remember Ike Southward on the wing, Eppie Gibson in the centre, and those iconic halves Sol Roper and Harry Archer — even Terry O’Grady, Alan Davies, Frank Pitchford and Co used to travel to Risman’s adopted home knowing they would be in for a tough afternoon.
It was ever thus. Not unexpectedly, therefore, many Oldham fans thought last Sunday’s 48-10 triumph may have been our biggest-ever win up there. Michael Turner checked and surprisingly came up with the revelation that we won 44-2 in 1984 and 60-6 in 2009'
He said:
“I could hardly believe it when I saw the facts, but there they were in black and white. Sunday was our THIRD biggest win on that ground in something like 75 or 80 yesrs. It was a wonderful achievement by anyone’s standards, but it wasn’t the best-ever."
In 1984, we scored eight tries by Paddy Kirwan (2), Green Vigo, Mick Parrish, Paul Sherman, Alan McCurrie, Colin Hawkyard and Andy Goodway with Parrish tacking on six goals, Team — A Taylor (capt); Vigo, Parrish, Sherman, Hornby; Birkby, Kirwan; Ogden, McCurrie, Morgan, Hawkyard, Goodway, Platt. Subs: M Taylor, Nadiole.
In 2009, we rattled up 60 points with tries by Paul O’Connor (3), Tommy Goulden (2), Gary Sykes (2), David Allen, James Coyle, Marcus St Hilaire and Lucas Onyangp, plus eight goals.
Next up for Oldham is the derby clash at BP on Sunday week, Easter Sunday, March 31, against our friends from Rochdale Hornets, who have signed Emmerson Whittel, named our Player of the Year in 2022 shortly before he signed a two-year deal covering 2003 and 2004.
He was released from that contract a few days ago and soon joined several of his former Oldham mates at the Crown Oil Arena despite offers from clubs on both sides of the Pennines. He may make his debut in red, white and blue in this Sunday’s home game against Hunslet and the chances are he will be in the mix for the Easter showdown at Boundary Park, together with several other ex-Oldham players, most of whom played for Roughyeds as recently as last year.
In their win at Midlands Hurricanes last week, Hornets used no fewer than SEVEN ex-Oldham men in Greg McNally, Joe Hartley, Tommy Brierley, Martyn Ridyard, Luke Nelmes, Deane Meadows and Jordan Andrade and the chances are they will have a similar number on duty next week.
Lively hooker Johnny Openshaw scored twice off the bench in Birmingham and is clearly one to watch, having also been named in League Express as Rochdale’s star man.
Sub forward Brad Brennan says Hornets have no need to fear anyone.
Over to you Jordan Turner, Joe Wardle and Co!
Fans image by Ben Challis
