Workington Town slipped to a second consecutive defeat in League Two when Oldham staged a light fightback to win 28-18 at Derwent Park.
Just under the hour Town were 18-12 in front but it was the Roughyeds who finished the stronger over the final quarter to take the points and move above Town in the table.
Town had made a particularly strong start and after only four minutes had taken the lead.
From a play-the-ball near the Oldham line Matty Henson forced his way over and Cieran Walker added the conversion.
The lead lasted only three minutes for in Oldham’s first real serious attack of the game centre George Hirst got in for the try which Martin Ridyard converted.
Workington did enjoy some strong pressure after that and top scorer Sean Sabutey was just unable to get on the end of a good kick from Jack Mallinson.
The rain had sluiced down from early on and both sides had difficulty on controlling the greasy ball.
Workington were rewarded for their efforts on 29 minutes when Grant Reid used his bulk to get over the Oldham line to score and again Walker added the conversion.
A series of penalties just before half-time handed the momentum to Oldham and on 38 minutes Greg McNally floated a high pass out to winger Joe Hartley to collect and score an unconverted try.
Workington continued from where they left off at the start of the second-half but couldn’t add to their lead and on 55 minutes Oldham drew level from a Ridyard penalty.
But from the restart it was Ridyard who dropped the ball and Town were able to build a platform for what eventually was a try for Jordan Thomson when he got on the end of a grubber under the posts. Walker made it 18-12 with the conversion.
On 65 minutes though Oldham were back in it with an unconverted try. The home defence was AWOL when a kick through ended with Tom Brierley getting the touchdown.
Into the last 15 minutes and Oldham seemed the fresher side, taking the lead for the first time in the game after 70 when another floated pass from McNally found Hartley who bounded over for his second which Ridyard converted.
Town did have a spell of pressure but Oldham defended stoutly and in the last minute broke for Hartley to complete his hat-trick and Ridyard converted.
