Workington Town had a tough start to the League One season as they went down 48-10 at home to title favourites Oldham.
It was a really hard task containing the Roughyeds in the first-half as they dominated possession and built up a commanding 30-0 lead.
Town were more in the contest after the changeround and at one point had outscored their visitors by two tries to one, but the class of Sean Long’s expensively-assembled side saw them score twice more and close out a comfortable win.
It has to be said that Town’s task was not made any easier by the absence of five or six key players through injury and with more injuries to Ciaran Walker, Jordan Burns and Jordan Thomson coach Anthony Murray will be looking to add to his depleted squad again during the week.
They go to Keighley for a stiff test and Murray hopes to add more new faces in addition to Richard Lopari and Brad Hammond who made their Town debuts on loan from Swinton against Long’s Oldham.
Oldham scored eight tries, all converted by Jamie Ellis, and several of them were of similar creation and execution – establishing position and close passing near to the line before being finished off.
The visitors couldn’t have asked for a better start with Owen Farnworth crashing over after only two minutes, and it was exactly the beginning that Town must have dreaded.
A second try arrived on eight minutes and this time it was Matt Wildie who darted in from dummy half with little Town could do except defence as they just couldn’t get the ball.
On 17 minutes a neat little grubber kick from Logan Astley saw winger Ben O’Keefe follow-up to pounce and claim the third try.
Three minutes later a huge kick from Danny Craven was completely missed by Jarrod Sammut and Jordan Turner was quickly in to gather and go over for the fourth try.
On the half-hour it was a point a minute as Joe Wardle barged his way over for the fifth and Ellis continued his 100% kicking.
Workington’s response, under the circumstances, was very good in the second-half although they did concede the first score – the same as his first one from Wardle.
But on 45 minutes Town scored. They moved the ball quickly from a 20-metre scrum and Jordan Burns made the corner, but Walker could not convert.
Then after 52 minutes Town scored again. This time it was the excellent Jake Bradley, always in the thick of it for Town, who spotted a gap and powered through from 20 metres to touchdown and this time Walker converted.
Unfortunately Town then lost Burns with what looked like a painful rib injury and Walker followed with a serious-looking shoulder problem.
The final two tries of the game were both scored by Oldham on 58 minutes from George Hirst and nine minutes from time by Astley – both created by Ellis who finished with eight successful kicks.
Afterwards Cumbria Crack’s John Walsh spoke to Town coach Tony Murray and you can hear his thoughts below:
