Browse Sections

• Oldham Athletic FC
• Oldham Roughyeds'
• Local football
• Local cricket

Keighley Cougars 28 Oldham Roughyeds 12

16/ 4/2008

AFTER a bright opening in which Oldham lived up to their pre-match reputation, handling and kicking mistakes, allied to the ascendancy of the hosts’ pack, led to the Roughyeds finishing as a well beaten side.

Apart from a spell where Said Tamghart combined a series of powerful drives with shuddering tackles, Oldham’s pack was strangely subdued.

Questions must be asked about the Roughyeds’ display as Keighley showed themselves to be a workmanlike, enthusiastic side with a fair amount of pace and a simple game plan that they adhered to.

For Oldham to compete, they required a good defence, a good kick and chase, and at least parity up front, but none of those happened.

A spell of early pressure brought Oldham an excellent try when James Coyle put Marcus St Hilaire through a half-gap and he rounded the full-back to score under the posts, Mick Nanyn converting.

However, the Cougars struck back with a long break down the left-hand side from Gavin Duffy, handing onto George Raynor who scored with Danny Jones goaling.

Another break from St Hilaire and a beautiful pass in the tackle put Nanyn over for a converted try and a 12-6 lead to Oldham.

A dubious penalty allowed Keighley to close within four points before they went ahead when a blatant forward pass was ignored by the referee, winger Ryan Smith breaking from his own 20 metre line before giving the scoring pass – at least three yards forward – to Neil Lowe. Jones converted to give Keighley a somewhat undeserved 14-12 half-time lead.

Early half-hearted pressure from Oldham, showing little enterprise, was turned on its head when Duffy’s 40-yard break led to him putting in Raynor for his second try.

Man-of-the-match Lowe then powered in for his second try before two further penalties took the Cougars to a comfortable victory.

With the defensive problems already shown in several matches this season, as well as a lackadaisical attitude of many players, promotion could be difficult to achieve.

Teams

Keighley Cougars: Raynor, Smith, Pursglove, Potter, Duffy, Jones, Fawcett, Palmer, Feather, Bissell, Lowe, Knight, Redfearn. Subs (all used): Wray, Pressley, Rawlins, Norcross.

Tries: Raynor, Lowe (two each).

Goals: Jones (five).

Oldham: St Hilaire, Langley, Littler, Nanyn, O’Connor, Roden, Coyle, Boults, Joseph, Mervill, Goulden, Halliwell, Grundy. Subs (all used): Tamghart, Baines, Robinson, Hoyle.

Tries: St Hilaire, Nanyn.

Goals: Nanyn (two).

Attendance: 1,276.