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Swinton Lions 8 Oldham Roughyeds 20

Keith Potter
23/ 4/2008

AN OLDHAM team reinforced by the return from injury of Lucas Onyango and Rob Roberts were comfortable Carnegie Challenge Cup tie winners against a Swinton side showing plenty of enthusiasm, but little attacking flair.

With both teams struggling in wet and windy conditions, Oldham took an early lead through a Mick Nanyn penalty.

Although both teams attempted to play open rugby, Onyango reminded Oldham fans what they had been missing when he took Nanyn’s shrewd pass before sprinting 45 yards and swerving past two defenders, only to be stopped by an excellent tackle from full-back Wayne English.

Swinton’s defence finally cracked in the 25th minute when Neil Roden went through some weak tackling to score by the posts, Nanyn converting.

Play had generally been scrappy before Oldham went over again on the half-hour as Roberts’ break and short pass put Danny Halliwell under the posts with Nanyn again converting.

However, there was time for Swinton to score a fortuitous try on the stroke of half-time when Darren Bamford capitalised on slack defending to score in the corner and make it 14-4.

Nanyn’s second penalty extended Oldham’s lead early in the second half, but apart from Onyango’s willingness to get into the game and James Coyle’s astute kicking, there was little to commend.

Oldham obviously felt that they had done enough and it was not until the 70th minute that they increased their lead.

Good work from Adam Robinson put Paul O’Connor through a gap and his pace took him over for a try in the corner.

Oldham were coasting until the final minute when great handling from Phil Wood, Craig Ashall and Gary Sykes put Hamilton over.

The attempted conversion fell short, meaning Oldham ended with a comfortable victory as a tighter defensive display ensured supremacy up front, Coyle and Roden outplayed their opposite numbers, while the return of Onyango provided the Roughyeds with a cutting edge.