ROUGHYEDS came up just short in their bid for a big win in Cumbria as they went down 28-24 at Whitehaven yesterday.

Billed as a crunch clash at the bottom of the Betfred Championship, both sides will have felt at stages the two points were heading their way before the hosts took the victory at the Recreation Ground.

Brian McDermott’s men got their noses in front early and also stormed into the lead in the second half, but it is now two defeats out of two for the Super League great since he arrived as a coaching consultant tasked with helping preserve Oldham’s second-tier status.

Roughyeds are second bottom of the standings having now lost nine games in a row.

Only Swinton Lions, who have lost all 14 of their games, are below them with the gap now five points to third from bottom Dewsbury Rams with two clubs going down to League One at the end of the season.

Things had looked bright in Cumbria when 15 minutes in a kick to the corner found Max Roberts who passed inside for Dave Hewitt to touch down for a score converted by Dan Abram.

But Haven then turned the game on its head with three tries in 10 minutes, two of which were converted, as Andrew Bulman and Callum Phillips, twice, crossed.

Oldham reduced the arrears before the half-time hooter though as Abram went over after collecting his own kick and then converted to make it 16-12 to the hosts at the interval.

And Roughyeds weren’t behind for long as with McDermott’s half-time words ringing in their ears, the visitors saw Luke Nelmes send Tyler Dupree over just a minute into the second period with Abram converting for an 18-16 lead.

That was soon 24-16 when Nelmes himself powered over and Abram converted yet again.

There was to be a sting in the tail though as Roughyeds looked to end their rotten run of form.

First, great work from Louis Jouffret put Connor Holiday through and he returned the ball to the Frenchman to score under the posts, the conversion bringing the home side to within two points just before the hour mark.

Then, just four minutes later Tom Wilkinson scooted over from dummy half and Jouffret converted to take Haven decisively four points clear, breaking some Roughyeds hearts.

The next outing in the bid for a great escape comes at home to London Broncos on Sunday.