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Cowell on hand to prevent Cup shock

11/ 2/2004

Oldham 16
Castleford Panthers 8

OLDHAM progressed to the fourth round of the Challenge Cup but it was the Panthers who took all the plaudits.

Coach Steve Molloy can be happy at not having suffered the same fate as Dewsbury Rams, Swinton Lions and Keighley Cougars - all beaten by amateurs at the weekend - but not with the overall performance.

The Roughyeds insisted on trying to throw the football around in completely unsuitable conditions and did not change tack.

The playing conditions were certainly dreadful, but it was the Yorkshiremen who adapted best.

The Roughyeds had gone ahead in the eighth minute when winger Nick Johnson scampered in at the corner for his second try of the season from Lee Doran's pass.

Gareth Barber goaled from the touchline and that - it was hoped - should have started the anticipated pointscoring spree.

It never materialised and, within five minutes, Castleford stunned the home fans with a wonderfully worked try. Switching flanks at speed, they caught Oldham out and centre Neil Pycroft played in winger Keiron Hickman to score.

Jamie Benn's trusty boot converted and then further rocked the Roughyeds with a 40-yard penalty to put the amateurs 8-6 ahead.

Oldham hit back through centre Iain Marsh on 33 minutes, who used his strength and pace to crash over in the corner and give his side a slender 10-8 half-time advantage.

The second period was even tighter with Oldham managing only a 53rd minute Barber penalty and an unconverted try from Will Cowell four minutes later.

Panthers came close to scoring on several occasions and only an heroic last-ditch Lee Marsh tackle denied second rower Paul Steel.

Oldham: Dodd, Cowell, I Marsh, Goddard, N Johnson, Barber, Watson, Southern, Hough, McLoughlin, Doran, Morgan, L Marsh. Subs (all used): Brennan, Bunyan, Sharples, Farrimond.

Panthers: Hepworth, Hickman, Pycroft, Gornall, Wassell, Benn, Till, Potter, Varley, Pickering, Steel, Smith, Pearson. Subs (all used): Walshaw, Leese, Garwood, Wilder.

Att: 1,003.