ROUGHYEDS produced a battling performance as Championship leaders Toulouse Olympique made it 12 wins out of 12 to maintain their 100 per cent record and keep on course for promotion to the Super League.

The odds were always stacked against Brian McDermott’s side - who have won just two of their 17 fixtures - and any hopes of pulling of a shock victory were wrecked by an ever increasing injury crisis.

But encouraged by recent performances including the 25-18 defeat at Sheffield Eagles last Sunday and the 22-22 draw against Swinton Lions the previous weekend, Roughyeds gave it a good go against a side destined for the top flight.

Restricting the free-scoring French side to 34 points - and just 12 points in the second half - was something of a morale victory for the Roughyeds especially considering they were down to the bare bones.

Half-back James Barran and prop Fenton Rogers, who impressed in defeat at Eagles last weekend, both missed out - with Barran out for four to six weeks with a knee injury, which more or less means his season is over.

New recruit Brad Jinks, who made his debut against Sheffield also missed out with a shoulder injury.

Props Jack Spencer (back) and Liam Kirk (concussion) are also on the casualty list, while Declan Gregory will face a late fitness test after being out for several weeks with a damaged ankle.

All these are on top of long-term injury victims Matty Wilkinson and Ben Heaton and the premature retirements, before the season started, of forward Ed Smith and centre Cam Leeming.

Despite that Oldham started strongly and worked hard to disrupt Toulouse’s rhythm before the leaders eventually broke the deadlock with a try for Vaivai in the 17th minute with the conversion missed.

A second try followed soon after through Sangare with the extras this time added as Toulouse went 10-0 up.

The leaders were now in the ascendency and two converted tries through Pelissier and Peyroux.

But Roughyeds were rewarded for their first half endeavours when Martin Reilly powered over for a well deserved try with Dan Abram adding the extras.

Roughyeds took that battle in to the second half and restricted Toulouse to just two more tries.