Sharp helps Halifax to break the deadlock

Richard Marshall’s side were far from their best, with a string of handling errors, particularly during a first period that was played almost exclusively in the Halifax half, gifting the Roughyeds a glut of possession.

But a determined defensive effort kept the home side at bay, with Fax heading into half-time with an improbable 12-0 lead.

Full-back Will Sharp scored on his side’s first visit to the Oldham line after 26 minutes, storming onto Shane Grady’s pass after Simon Grix and Ben Johnston had put the back rower in space.

Steve Tyrer converted and was on target again five minutes before the break when his side’s third attacking set of the half yielded a second try, young prop Brandon Douglas bursting over from fellow front rower Ryan Boyle’s sharp pass.

Oldham responded with tries from Scott Turner and Michael Ward, with a conversion and penalty from half-back Scott Leatherbarrow levelling the scores with a quarter of the game remaining.

Fax finally got their game together, Sharp scoring his second.

Tyrer kicked the visitors 18-12 ahead, then Simon Grix’s drive and Brandon Moore’s speed saw the hooker score under the posts, Tyrer making it 24-12.

A Tyrer penalty and a late try for Elliot Morris sealed a determined success.

Oldham: Lepori; Clay, Tyson, Wood, Turner; Leatherbarrow, Hewitt; Neal, Hughes, Burke, Adamson, Langtree. Substitutes: Ward, Dickinson, Owen, Davies

Halifax: Sharp; Worrincy, Tyrer, Woodburn-Hall, McGrath; Johnston, Murrell; Murray, Moore, Cahalane, Grady, Barber, Grix. Substitutes: Morris, Wilkinson, Boyle, Douglas

Referee: M McMullen.