Oldham finish strong to ease past Hunslet

Oldham produced a strong second-half display powered by a big performance from their forward pack as Sean Long's top-four side beat Hunslet 48-16 at Boundary Park in the Betfred Championship.

The Roughyeds accelerated from a slender 18-10 half-time lead against the league's bottom team, to run in six second-half tries for an ultimately comfortable win ahead of next weekend's huge trip to face pacesetters York Knights.

"We just got too excited and tried to score every time we got the ball," head coach Sean Long told Roughyeds TV.

But we addressed it at half-time and came out firing in the second half. It is as simple as we want to make it."

Long recalled winger Mathieu Pons, hooker Bailey Aldridge and forward Pat Moran, while George Hirst was also back available after injury. Captain Jordan Turner was missing, as were Eloi Pelissier, Ryan Lannon and Matty Ashurst.

And the home side got off to a flyer in front of a vocal Joe Royle Stand when livewire full-back Phoenix Laulu-Togaga'e finished off a break from Frenchman Pons in the opening minute, Kieran Dixon converting for a 6-0 lead.

Pons himself benefited from terrific work from the impressive Ben O'Keefe to walk in the second try, Dixon this time missing on what would turn out to be a very difficult afternoon for the kickers.

The tries were flowing when Dixon finished off Josh Drinkwater's floated pass but again missed the extras from the touchline, and Jay Chapelhow was just denied another when he rose like a salmon for a high kick but was just short of the line.

Then came an inexplicably sloppy spell from the hosts who allowed Hunslet back into the game. A loose pass on the Hunslet line saw the visitors intercept and go the length of the field, Billy Jowitt eventually finishing in the left corner.

O'Keefe did produce a fine finish in the right corner, Dixon missing from the touchine again for an 18-4 lead, before Jowitt hauled Hunslet back again with a try from a terrific Lee Gaskell pass. Jowitt kicked his touchline effort, and the lead was down to 18-10 at the break.

Long delivered some harsh words at half-time and it appeared to do the trick as his side ran in six more tries in a dominant second 40.

O'Keefe scored his second with a strong fend and finish, PLT added his second soon after with Drinkwater taking over kicking duties but also missing.

Dixon grabbed a double of his own from a fine Ben Davies offload - three unconverted tries after the interval extending the lead to 30-10.

Owen Farnworth then crashed over within seconds of returning to the field following a fine Pons carry, Drinkwater converting to ironic cheers from the home crowd.

George Hirst then powerd his way over for another six-pointer before Chapelhow had another effort chalked off when his scramble for the line was denied by a double movement.

Drinkwater was given a rest ahead of the trip to York as Bailey Aldridge was given some game-time, and he injected spark as Oldham added another through Gil Dudson.

Harvey Hallas grabbed a consolation but 48-16 could have been an even heftier scoreline with a bit more luck from the kicking tee. Ten tries, four conversions and an ultimately routine home win.

"We need to build pressure and complete," said Long.

And a bit more game management. But it was a lot better second half. It was just of those days. I felt we were a bit too flimsy at times.

We have some pace so we score tries from the edges but I thought our middles were pretty good too."

Oldham remain fourth on a weekend which saw all of the Championship's big hitters win, but Long was left frustrated by another display that brought a peculiar mix of electrifying finishing, powerful forward play and unforced errors.

The head coach believes a full 80-minute performance from this talented team is on the way and that a team will soon be in for a hiding. Long will hope he sees it next Sunday for that huge trip to take on Championship leaders York.