Martin Morgan reports

Last updated 13:27, Monday, 07 July 2008

Workington Town 14 Oldham 16: Dave Rotheram had mixed feelings at the end of this nail-biter, which Town blew only four minutes from full-time when Oldham powerhouse Mick Nanyn claimed his third try of the match.

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Matthew Tunstall looks to make ground for Town against Oldham

The Workington boss was justifiably proud of his team’s effort against one of NL2’s top outfits.

They played the second-half without the benefit of any substitutions, after picking up a string of nasty injuries in the first period.

And his last fit 13 players produced a fine effort against title-chasing Oldham, who can count League One clubs Salford, Whitehaven and Dewsbury among their cup victims this term.

But ultimately this was another defeat in a game they could, and probably should have won.

Of course, the bonus point provided some consolation. Such narrow reverses could prove costly for Town, however, in the end-of-season shake-up.

Defeat would probably have cost third-placed Oldham their hopes of taking the title and claiming automatic promotion.

And they started the match on top, with prop Richard Mervill held up over the Town line.

Hooker Scott Burgess handed Town the momentum with a fantastic break from his own half, supported by Carl Forber. But the Roughyeds held on, and 10 minutes in, Nanyn scored his first try.

It was not his most eye-catching effort, but they all count, Nanyn barging over the whitewash from dummy-half. He then slotted the conversion to put Oldham 6-0 up.

Town hit back in style four minutes later, Scott Burgess making light of Shaun Lunt’s absence.

He showed terrific footwork to break the line and then dance around full-back Paul O’Connor to score between the sticks.

Carl Forber goaled and was then heavily involved again seven minutes later as the hosts took the lead.

Bryce Poisel appeared to put too much toe to his angled attacking grubber behind the Oldham line.

But Forber managed to hook the ball back fractionally before it went dead, and the alert Poisel followed up to touch down.

Forber’s kick was a formality and Town were 12-6 up. Their joy was to be short-lived, however, with prop Dean Burgess and centre Mark Routledge leaving the field injured within two minutes of each other.

The dangerous Said Tamghart soon made inroads when introduced off the Oldham bench, and one of the French prop’s offloads could have led to a try if loss-forward Rob Roberts had not spilled the pass with the line at his mercy.

Tamghart suffered a knock late in the half and did not appear after the break, which must have come as a relief to the hosts.

Town finished the half on the attack, Chris Young narrowly failing to reach a chip kick before it ran dead, ref Mike Dawber ignoring his appeal for try.

The Aussie forward’s all-round effort deserved a four-pointer, and he has certainly been one of Town’s success stories this term.

Nanyn struck against within five minutes of the re-start, though Town had cause for complaint after an apparent knock-on in the build-up was ignored by Mr Dawber.

Town were caught napping as the lively Matty Brooks dummied through, the hosts seemingly waiting for his pass to Nanyn.

Later in the set came stand-off Neil Roden’s knock-on reprieve and the ball was fed left for Nanyn to crash over in the corner. He then landed a fine conversion to level the scores.

Town hit back on 49 minutes, Forber slotting a penalty goal after Jay Duffy, again one of his side’s better performers, suffered a high tackle.

The hosts started to gain the upper hand, enjoying three full sets in the Oldham half, yet they could find no way through.

The closest they came was when winger Stephen Dawes touched down Duffy’s chip, only for the ref to rule, without any Town protests, the ball had run dead.

Workington were left to rue their missed chances on 76 minutes when Roughyeds second-row Ian Hodson broke through.

The moment he found Nanyn, the hearts of home fans must have sank, and the National League’s leading points-scorer, who seems to find an extra gear in open space within sight of the try line, made no mistake out wide.

Quite how Nanyn is not playing in a top League One club is beyond me. Admittedly, he dropped a pass yesterday and made a daft offload which Town recovered.

Some say he’s not the greatest defender. Perhaps. But on his day – and yesterday was one of them – he is the deadliest finisher outside Super League. As Town found to their cost.

Match Facts

Town: Duffy, Dawes, McCully, Routledge, Marshall, Forber, Poisel, Beaumont, S Burgess, D Burgess, Robinson, Miller R Campbell. Subs: Marsh, Tunstall, Young Dobson

Tries: S Burgess, Poisel: Goals: Forber 3

Oldham: O’Connor, Langley, St Hilaire, Nanyn, Cardiss, Roden, Coyle, Boults, Joseph, Mervill, Hodson, Halliwell, Roberts. Subs: Brooks, Baines, Goulden, Tamghart

Tries: Nanyn 3; Goals: Nanyn 2

Attendance: 647

Referee: Mike Dawber

Star Man: Chris Young