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SALFORD CITY REDS 40 OLDHAM 12

by ROGER HALSTEAD
 
THE Roughyeds played much better at The Willows on Friday night than they did in the Law Cup defeat at Rochdale or the narrow win against Swinton Lions at Boundary Park last week. In many aspects, the performance against the full-time professionals of the City Reds -- in Super League last year and favourites to win both the Northern Rail Cup and NL1 -- was similar to the hugely committed show Steve Deakin's men put on at Headingley in the Kevin Sinfield testimonial game.
 
Apart from Jordan Turner's try (on John Wilshere's astute little kick) and Paul White's touchdown (on Malcolm Alker's bullet-like flat pass under the Oldham sticks), all Salford's touchdowns were out wide and on the back of high-speed wing-to-wing football -- the hallmark of a side that will be far too fast for most teams in NL1.
 
The Reds scored seven tries and it speaks volumes for their style and great panache on attack that right-centre Stuart Littler scored a hat-trick; left-centre James Jiminez added another; full-back White went in; and left-wing Matt Gardner also got his name on the scoresheet.
 
When they spread the ball wide and at pace, especially in the second half, they outflanked an Oldham side that stuck doggedly to its task; played spiritedly for 80 minutes; worked hard for each other to make sure they were not swept aside up the middle; and defended exceptionally well on their own line and in close-quarter situations.
 
With a little more steadiness, Roughyeds could easily have reached half time on level terms, and there could have been no complaints from the home side.
 
Salford always had the edge in speed, but Oldham's enthusiasm in defence forced them into errors in the first half and while the home side capitalised on Oldham mistakes at one end, the visitors did the same at the other.
 
Scoring went like this:
 
10 mins: Richie Myler's pinpoint pass gave centre Jiminez the outside break and he swung inside Paul O'Connor and Richard Mervill at pace to go behind the sticks. Andrew Ballard goaled to give Reds a 6-0 lead.
 
15 mins: Oldham levelled. Craig Littler went close on the right before Roughyeds moved the ball swiftly left via the half-backs for Neil Roden to send Mick Nanyn crashing over. Nanyn duly obliged with the angled goal despite the united efforts of Salford supporters to pressurise him into failure.
 
27 mins: A Warren Stevens knock-on put Oldham under pressure. They ran offside in defence and Alker's great pass at the back end of the next set put White in near the stocks. Ballard goaled for a 12-6 Reds lead.
 
33 mins: Salford were rocked back a second time. They had to defend well to resist Oldham raids led by Jason Boults and Phil Joseph up front and often featuring the speed and dancing feet of James Coyle. Oldham made the City slickers sweat and toil and the visitors were rewarded when a kick to the line was fumbled and Craig Littler pounced to touch down. Nanyn goaled. 12-12.
 
38 mins: Despite Paul O'Connor's failure to take the high restart kick, and then conceding a penalty for holding down, Roughyeds defended magnificently against back-to-back sets to regain possession. Another unforced error, this time by Said Tamghart, gave Salford more ball and more field position, however, and with the clock running down to half time the home side produced their best and fastest move of the game so far for Stuart Littler to cross wide out. Ballard again added the goal. Half-time: 18-12.
 
In the first six minutes of the second half Salford put the game to bed with tries by Turner and Gardner, both improved by Ballard, the first one following a penalty against Oldham for Marcus St Hilaire stealing the ball in a tackle. Was it a two-man tackle? Was it one-on-one? Either way, it was a close call. It went Salford's way.
 
Oldham also had penalties, field position and opportunities in the second half, but they couldn't penetrate a rock-solid Reds defence and then the home side took the game well out of reach with two further tries by Stuart Littler to complete his hat-trick.
 
Never once, however, did the NL2 side drop their heads or lose heart -- and, just as they did at Leeds, they chased back magnificently and in numbers to prevent a late breakaway try by the Reds.
 
If coach Steve Deakin was looking mainly for significant improvements all round on the performance against Swinton he certainly got them in barrow loads.  Now to Rochdale -- and an opportunity to avenge the Law Cup defeat by Bobbie Goulding's men.
 
Scorers: Salford -- goals, Ballard (6); tries, Jiminez, White, S Littler (3), Turner, Gardner; Oldham -- goals, Nanyn (2); tries, Nanyn, C Littler.
 
Salford: White; Ballard, S Littler, Jiminez, Gardner; Wilshere, Myler; Leuluai, Alker, Stapleton, Sibbit, Brocklehurst, Turner. Subs: Highton, Borgese, Jewitt, Bannister.
 
Oldham: O'Connor; Cardiss, C Littler, Nanyn, St Hilaire; Roden, Coyle; Boults, Joseph, Mervill, Baldwin, Halliwell, Baines. Subs: Brooks, Robinson, Tamghart, Stevens.
 
Referee: Mr R Hicks (Oldham).