OLDHAM RLFC 8 SWINTON LIONS 16

STU Littler was quick to praise his team for their “desire, energy and enthusiasm” after Roughyeds had held one of the division’s stronger teams to an eight-point winning margin at the Vestacare Stadium on Sunday.

With numerous cross-club connections, this was a bad-tempered affair from start to finish.

There were four yellow cards, 22 penalties and three or four occasions when referee Kevin Moore called-up both captains to lay down the law.

At one stage Oldham were down to 11 men when prop Luke Nelmes and debut-making on-loan half-back Robbie Butterworth were in the “cooler”.

Defensively, Oldham were then at their best.

Said Littler: “In terms of comparison between the teams there wasn’t much in it. They twice got the ball back from restart kicks and that’d what did us.

“There was nothing wrong with our effort, attitude and determination, especially when we went down to 11 men.”

Prop Luke Nelmes was first in the bin for late challenge on Jack Hansen after he had kicked.

Butterworth joined him soon afterwards for a hefty challenge on former Roughyeds’ player Lewis Charnock which the referee viewed as an illegal tip-tackle.

Swinton’s George Roby flew in - and also got ten minutes in the cooler.

The fourth yellow card was shown to Lions front-rower Deane Meadows for an alleged punch late in the game.

Unusually, it was a try-less first half, closing at 2-2 with a penalty each for Swinton’s Dan Abram and Oldham’s Martyn Ridyard. Oldham were marginally the better side in the first half with Swinton edging it in the second.

Oldham went 4-2 ahead with Ridyard’s second penalty goal in the 48th minute, but Swinton finished the stronger with tries by Louis Brogan and Max Roberts, plus three more Abram goals, against a try in the scoreboard corner by Oldham’s Dane Windrow.

Oldham were out of luck when a Ridyard conversion attempt off the touchline crashed against the crossbar - further proof that success or failure can be separated by inches.

They are at home again this Sunday against Midlands Hurricanes, kick-off 3pm.