Dons end Oldham’s winning run

Oldham tasted defeat in the league for the first time since February, when they were unable to match a strong Doncaster side who were 46-18 victors at Club Doncaster Sports Village.

Roughyeds had been on a 16-match winning streak going into this one, their third best run in their 150-year history, but could not pull off another comeback as they so often have done this year.

During the run of league wins, it would be remiss to ignore the shock 1895 Cup defeat to Midlands Hurricanes, which served as a reminder of just how difficult it is to maintain such consistency and how quickly things can unravel. That only makes Oldham’s achievement of going 16 league games unbeaten even more remarkable, particularly for a part-time side competing in such a fiercely competitive division.

Oldham, who had controlled Doncaster so impressively in the reverse fixture, were caught on an off day as the Dons rose to the occasion and delivered a performance full of intensity.

That was evident from the opening exchanges, with Isaac Misky striking first after Doncaster were awarded an early penalty, spinning his way over from close range to put the hosts ahead.

A sublime Connor Robinson 40/20 kick then gave Bureta Faraimo a chance to crash over from under a sea of Oldham shirts for a 12-0 lead in as many minutes.

Roughyeds fought their way back into the contest – not for the first time this season – and it was Jack Walker who powered through from a well delivered Josh Drinkwater pass.

That same move came up trumps once more, with Walker grabbing a second and Morgan Smith levelled the scores with the conversion.

Doncaster soon re-grouped. Edene Gebbie, so often a thorn in Oldham’s side, broke through and brushed off Walker’s tackle attempt to restore his side’s lead.

The Dons could have been two scores ahead at the break, but Roughyeds gained a reprieve when Robinson, inexplicably, dragged his penalty wide of the posts.

Richard Horne’s side started the second half in a similar fashion as they did the first and Gebbie soon found a second as he bypassed a number of Oldham tacklers.

Good work from former Roughyed Tom Whitehead then sent Watson Boas surging through, before Boas then pinged one for ex-NRL star Mikaele Ravalawa who scored on debut.

Doncaster’s dominance continued when Gebbie scored a third, before Ravalawa added insult to injury.

Roughyeds found a response and it was a lovely move which saw Morgan Smith plant a kick for Jack Walker to complete his hat-trick under the posts.

There were two sin-binnings late on with the Dons reduced to 11 men, but they came too late for Roughyeds to exploit.

That represents Oldham's first league defeat since February 20, bringing an end to a remarkable run. Alan Kilshaw and his men will be determined to earn an instant response against Sheffield upon their return to Boundary Park next week.