Match Report: Oldham RUFC 16 Sefton 23

With a week’s rest, Oldham were looking to get that all important win to hopefully string together a good run of results.

Oldham started strong from the Kick Off, with solid carries from Greg Higgins, Brian Massey, Isaac Dobbs, Jack Taylor and Captain Nick Hackman, earning themselves an early penalty following a high shot from a Sefton defender. Oldham were playing with some great patience and go forward, before quick hands out wide saw the returning Gareth Owen, make a break down the left wing. A great tackle from the Sefton defender left Owen isolated and forced to concede a penalty for holding on. Sefton looked to work back up the pitch but great defensive efforts from Hackman, Taylor, Luke Ferrier and Adam Walker, kept the Merseyside team at bay.

Some great hands along the backs from Louis Fitton, Alex Jobson and Tom Davies unleashed winger Reece Blakeley down the left wing, who galloped past 3 defenders before being stopped by the fullback. Further strong carries from Taylor, Walker, Dobbs and Massey pushed Oldham deep into the Sefton half, before receiving a penalty in front of the sticks. Jobson adding the 3 points with ease to get the scoring underway. Sefton weren’t going to just lay down and rollover they came back strong and some barrelling runs from their outside centre were equally matched with some thumping hits from Phil Conroy and Davies. With Oldham knocking Sefton back with each tackle, the mistake soon came after yet another crunching hit from Owen forcing the error deep in the Sefton half. Unfortunately a loose carry from Walker meant Sefton were able to break down their left wing, Blakeley and Owen covering the width of the pitch to stop a certain try and forcing a knock on, close to the line. Oldham worked up the pitch with some good forward carries setting the platform, before spinning the ball out wide only for the Sefton fly half to knock the ball down illegally. Up stepped Jobson with confidence to knock the ball over with ease for a further 3 points. Oldham 6 – Sefton 0.

Sefton came straight back from the kick off and with a good chase, took advantage of an isolated Oldham player, who was penalised for holding on. Sefton opted for the kick and struck it over for their first points of the afternoon. Oldham 6 – Sefton 3. More injury woes developed as Louis Fitton was caught under a ruck in the process and was replaced by Jordan McEwan

This was shaping up to be a close hard fought game, however the remainder of the game lacked any real flow and unfortunately was dictated by the whistle. It was Sefton’s turn to play with a little confidence and moving their way up the pitch after some strong drives from the line out and forward carries. A scrum close to the Oldham line saw the Sefton 10 throw an outrageous dummy catching out a would be defender, before scoring underneath the posts. Sefton adding the extras Oldham 6 – Sefton 10.

Frustrations were boiling over and rather than letting rugby do the talking, a silly decision saw Oldham receive their first yellow card of the game, with the whistle ringing loudly still in the ears of every player. Despite this Sefton continued to come forward, threatening the Oldham line but they were kept at bay thanks to the defensive efforts of Elliot Scanlon-Wells, Ferrier, Taylor and Dobbs. Half time score Oldham 6 – Sefton 10.

The second half started with Oldham the brighter of the two teams, Ferrier plucking the ball out of the air whilst chasing put Oldham in the ascendancy with further strong carries from Scanlon-Wells, Davies, Owen and Walker. Oldham received a penalty in the middle of the pitch, but further ill-discipline saw the penalty reversed for unnecessary back chat. Sefton worked their way back up the pitch and looked destined to score before some excellent defence from Walker, gave Davies a clear opportunity to turn the ball over. With the game in the balance it was Sefton’s turn to become victim of the ever present whistle with a high shot penalised saw Sefton reduced to 14 men.

Oldham took the impetus to go forward and some fine individual breaks from Jobson, Higgins, Dobbs and Ferrier again saw Oldham in a promising position in the Sefton 22. Before Sefton were awarded another yellow card taking them down to 13 men for a further high tackle. Oldham opted to kick for the corner and with Cameron Wood replacing prop Chris Shaw its clear what Oldham intentions were. A strong barrelling driving maul brushed the Sefton pack aside before Rhys Jones dotted down over the line for Oldham first try of the game. Jobson missing the extras from out wide, Oldham 11- Sefton 10.

Straight from the Kick Off Oldham continued to rumble forward with strong carries. It wasn’t long before the dreaded whistle raised its head, yet again, this time Sefton reduced to 12 men with a further yellow card for a deemed high tackle. However, Oldham weren’t able to capitalise on this and it was in fact Sefton, who were next to score following a fine break from the 15, who was spectacularly upended by winger Phil Conroy, however this was to be in vain as a quick pick up blind saw the Sefton flanker saunter over the line. The kick missed, Oldham 11- Sefton 15.

With Sefton piling on the pressure it wasn’t long before Oldham were reduced to 14 again for another high tackle. Sefton took advantage of an easy kick under the sticks to add the 3 points. Oldham 11- Sefton 18. With Oldham down to 14 it was Sefton’s turn to take advantage and a clever kick to the corner from the Sefton fly-half saw the outside centre win the foot race to dive on the ball in the corner. With the conversion missed, Oldham 11- Sefton 23.

Oldham needed an answer and quick and strong carries from Wood and Ferrier, set the platform for some quick thinking from McEwan made space for Owen, Jobson and Davies to make some yards. Another high tackle from Sefton’s prop meant he saw his second yellow of the afternoon and permanently dropped Sefton down to 14. A deep kick from the penalty into the corner, saw Oldham march over from the lineout, before a quick peel from Massey putting the ball down in the corner. Jobson missing the extras, Oldham 16 – Sefton 23 securing a losing bonus point.

Yet another game Oldham could have and probably should have won. Despite the decisions and the stop start nature of the game, Oldham need to realise that the man in the middle will never change his mind and the only way of affecting the game is through keeping opinions to themselves and playing competitive rugby. With the poorest start to the season in recent years, Oldham really need to work on an answer this week in training.