OLDHAM RLFC 6 KEIGHLEY COUGARS 32

THE Cougars were in 'kill' mood and they hunted down Roughyeds with not a smattering of mercy.

It was the worst possible start to a new league season for Stu Littler's men with a bitterly disappointing performance, a heavy home defeat and a late leg injury for winger Tommy Brierley which, at best, looked like it might keep him out for some time.

That's two home defeats in two competitive games now - this following the Challenge Cup loss to the amateurs of Lock Lane early this month - so there's a lot of work and a good deal of soul-searching to be done this week before the next game at Hunslet this weekend.

Keighley were off to a flier with three tries in the first quarter of the game and, in fairness, the big factor in all this was Oldham's inability to satisfy Aussie referee James Vella that they had got it right regarding high tackling - a widely controversial topic right now and one that is causing players consternation at all levels of the sport.

Six of the first half's seven penalties went to Keighley, to say nothing of a few incidents of the current 'six again' legislation and no team can concede that amount of possession and position without suffering the consequences. "One of the things we need to work on in the current climate is clearly our tackling technique," said Littler after the game.

Both Littler and club chairman Chris Hamilton were at pains to point out that what happened on the pitch was down to poor performance by Oldham and to Keighley's good show, certainly not down to how the match was handled by the man in the middle.

Cougars were tougher, stronger, far more determined on defence and infinitely more fluent with ball in hand and, as such, they were worthy winners, as the score would indicate.

Six tries to one tells its own story; in defence, Oldham's line speed was slow and sluggish; in attack they rarely looked like opening up a well-drilled and organised Cougars defence.

Jordan Andrade, a first-half sub, gave the home forwards the drive and impetus it had badly lacked hitherto and was a deserved winner of the home side's top gun award, chosen by former pack star Leo Casey.

Champagne-moment recipient, Owen Restall, also gave an eye-catching show, scoring Oldham's only try and going close on another occasion from a Martyn Ridyard cross-kick.

In the main, though, Oldham were second best both individually and collectively.

They couldn't handle Keighley's aggression going forward and speed and skill when going wide and a couple of missed tackles were particularly costly early on.

Charlie Graham, the Cougars centre, burst through a soft one-on-one challenge to set up the opening try for his winger, Alix Stephenson and the powerful Branden Santi did likewise to provide a third Cougars try for full-back Lewis Young.

In between, second-row man Aaron Levy added the first of his brace in a stellar performance and at 16-0 to the good, Cougars already had their teeth and jaws ready for "the kill".

A try by Oldham-born centre Nathan Roebuck just after half-time took the Big Cats out to 20-0.

Restall then went in for Oldham's only try on the back of good work by James Thornton, but Keighley finished the stronger and, true to form, added late tries by Levy and Roebuck to finish comfortable winners and to underline their status as as one of the favourites for promotion.

OLDHAM: Restall; Brierley, Cooke, Hartley, Holcroft; Ridyard, Hewitt; Nelmes, Jinks, Newton, Thornton, Ferry, Whittel. Subs: Wright, Spencer, Andrade, Coventry.

Ref: James Vella; Att, 815