Late strikes help deny Hunslet at Oldham

DESPITE outstanding performances by full-back Jimmy Watson and stand-off Danny Grimshaw, Hunslet picked up only one bonus point at Oldham after looking set to become the first side to win at Whitebank this season.

With 10 minutes left they led 23-16 after dominating most of the possession and field position in the second half while attacking down the slope. But they lost their way after prop Michael Haley and Oldham’s George Tyson were sin-binned for fighting in the 68th minute.

All they could muster after that was a long-range drop goal by Thomas Coyle, to give them the cushion of a seven-point lead, while Oldham roared back up the slope in the last few minutes to win it with late tries by Danny Langtree and Josh Crowley.

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Langtree had a walk-in on one side of the field, while Crowley battled over in the corner with two minutes left after Jon Ford leapt highest to knock back a Lewis Palfrey cross-kick.

It was a try that broke Hunslet hearts, yet they will take some time to fathom out what went wrong after they looked to have the game sewn up.

Man-of-the-match Watson scored a try and set up two others for Lee Brickwood and James Houston, while the impressive Grimshaw scored the Hawks’ only first-half try with a delightful dummy and shimmy close to the line. Andy Ballard landed three conversions.

Adam Clay, Steven Nield, Brett Robinson, Langtree and Crowley crossed for Oldham, while Lewis palfrey kicked two goals.

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Oldham: Nield; Agoro, Cookson, Ford, Clay; Roper, Palfrey; Joy, Owen, Boults, Crowley, Langtree, Thompson. Substitutes: Robinson, Ward, Wood, Tyson.

Hunslet Hawks: Watson; Duffy, Brickwood, Maun, Ballard; Grimshaw, T Coyle; Houston, March, Haley, Lyons, Oakes, Mackay. Substitutes: Tebb, Reed, Stenchion, Clough.

Referee: W Turley (Leigh).