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OLDHAM 38 ROCHDALE HORNETS 8

by ROGER HALSTEAD
 
ON a night of howling gales, horizontal rain, 26 scrums and 20 penalties, Oldham did exceptionally well to post seven tries and dominate the game in all areas in this Northern Rail derby defeat of Rochdale Hornets at Boundary Park on Friday.
 
It well and truly erased the memory of the 26-20 Law Cup defeat at Spotland in January and it more or less assured Roughyeds of a place in the last 16 while making it three wins from three in home games this season.
 
Even the attendance of more than 1,000 was encouraging, given the extreme weather conditions, the televised World Club Challenge match between Leeds Rhinos and Melbourne Storm and the Rickie Hatton dinner for the benefit of the town's amateur clubs at the Queen Elizabeth Hall.
 
The club's PR machine was in full swing with the Service Area under-11s team paraded on the pitch at half-time.
 
Pre-match, James Coyle was announced as first winner of the Spindles Town Square Shopping player-of-the-month award, while club chairman Bill Quinn and two Rugby Oldham officials, Ian Wilson and Michael Ackroyd were presented on the pitch to launch a new link-up with the Supporters' Trust, who are making a significant financial contribution towards the running of the new reserves team.
 
On the field the momentum continued with Oldham tries by Mick Nanyn, Rob Roberts, Neil Roden, Craig Littler, Paul O'Connor, Marcus St Hilaire and Coyle, while Nanyn kicked five conversions from seven attempts --- first-rate marksmanship in these horrible conditions.
 
The pack got on top early -- and remained on top. Tommy Grundy had a particularly eye-catching 35 minutes before he was taken off for a breather, having constantly blitzed the Hornets defence from the loose-forward position. On this form Grundy looks a hugely promising prospect and a player who clearly doesn't intend spending the rest of the season on the fringe of the selection process.
 
Jason Boults, the impressive Phil Joseph, Warren Stevens and Said Tamghart also terrorised the Hornets forwards.
 
Behind this impressive pack, Marcus St Hilaire had a fine game at full-back; Mick Nanyn excelled in the centre; and Neil Roden and James Coyle again dictated at half-back.
 
Hornets rarely threatened apart from early on when Chris Spurr scored wide out from Martin Ainscough and on another occasion early in the second half when Wayne Corcoran crossed direct from the back of the pack.
 
Both tries were the direct result of Oldham errors. The game was full of stoppages due to the weather, but whereas Oldham always looked likely to capitalise on Rochdale mistakes, the Hornets didn't have the firepower to seriously threaten a tough, resolute and well organised Oldham defence.
 
The Oldham tries came like this:
 
9 mins: Boults put Hornets on the back foot and Coyle, receiving from Roden, sent Nanyn over for his fourth try in four games with an exquisite delivery.
 
16 mins: Robert Roebrts carried defenders over the line with him after the visitors had failed to clean-up a high kick in the swirling wind.
 
21 mins: Roden burrowed his way through the last remnants of Rochdale defence from a position close to the line.
 
39 mins: Coyle's last-tackle grubber bounced off a post and then a defencer for the always-alert Littler to touch down.
 
65 mins: Nanyn at his best. The big fella scattered defenders in front of him to send O'Connor in at the corner.
 
68 mins: St Hilaire's nifty footwork and dancing steps took him through a posse of defenders close to the line.
 
78: Coyle had a been threatening a try all the second half and it came near the end when when he danced past a tiring defence to post his thrid try in four outings.
 
It put the seal on another impressive Oldham performance. And while the fans had shivered for the best part of 90 minutes it was evident from their rapturous applause at the end that they considered the cold and the admission money a small price to pay for the entertainment provided.
 
Scorers: Oldham -- goals, Nanyn (5); tries, Nanyn, Roberts, Roden, Littler, O'Connor, St Hilaire, Coyle; Hornets -- tries, Spurr, Corcoran.
 
Oldham: St Hilaire; Langley, Littler, Nanyn, O'Connor; Roden, Coyle; Boults, Joseph, Mervill, Goulden, Roberts, Grundy. Subs: Baines, Stevens, Halliwell, Tamghart.
 
Hornets: Lloyd; Brown, Brocklehurst, Spurr, Campbell; Ainscough, Forster; Best, Elston, Callan, Stout, Sinfield, Corcoran. Subs: Butterworth, Robinson, Farrimond, Newton.
 
Referee: Mr J Leahy (Dewsbury); Att: 1,024.