OF far greater interest and news value than what happened in this inconsequential last game of the Betfred Championship season was the news of the pending retirement of Oldham forwards Danny Bridge and Phil Joy.

The news was broken by the club shortly before Dewsbury formed a pre-match players’ guard of honour at the Tetley’s Stadium to recognise the retirement of their own Liam Finn.

Bridge, Joy and Oldham captain Gareth Owen, whose retirement had already been announced, were also honoured, Bridge and Owen before appearing in their last match for their hometown club.

Joy, who didn’t play in this one, was on the pitch pre-match to receive the plaudits of the crowd.

In breaking news of the decisions to call it a day by Bridge and Joy, Oldham chairman Chris Hamilton said: “Like Gareth Owen, they say their bodies have had enough.

“They went most of the 2020 season without any rugby because the season was curtailed by Covid and Phil Joy, especially, has missed a lot of 2021 because of injury.

“Going so long without rugby has had a massive affect on them - and a lot of other clubs are reporting similar situations.”

He added: “It’s not just happening at Oldham; it’s happening all over the place.”

Considering this final game was a dead-rubber for both teams, with nothing at stake only pride and winning pay, it was hard, physical, competitive and full of good rugby.

Tries by winger Lewis Carr and centre Adam Ryder gave Dewsbury an early 8-0 lead, but Roughyeds hit back to lead 12-8 at half-time with tries by Dan Abram and Danny Bridge, both converted by Abram.

An Abram penalty pushed Roughyeds into a 14-8 lead early in the second half.

Roughyeds led until the closing stages until sustained Rams pressure led to Ryder’s second try with only eight minutes left.

Thereafter, it was a game that belonged to the home side’s talented veteran stand-off Paul Sykes.

He converted the late try off the touchline to level the scores at 14-14 and then, after a magnificent set by the home forwards that took them from one end of the field to the other, he struck a drop goal under pressure to edge Rams into a 15-14 lead.

Only second before the final siren, Sykes then floated a lovely kick to the corner which allowed busy second-rower Michael Knowles to soar high, collect and drop over the line.

Everything Sykes touched was turning to gold by now and his conversion from wide out on the left was, to him, a mere formality.