Oulton Raiders 24 - 54 Dewsbury Rams

Match report by Ossy

Twenty minutes into this game, the Rams were trailing 20 – 6, and if I’d closed my eyes I could almost have been back at Featherstone. The only difference being that this time we were playing a team of so called amateurs. Actually in that first session, we looked like the amateurs, and Oulton made us pay, though it was 7 minutes before they started turning the screw.

The Rams defence went missing as prop Carlos Sanchez got things under way with a good try, scrum half Alan White adding the conversion. To be honest, even then my reaction was something along the lines of – ‘Whoops! We weren’t expecting that… but hey, it’s no big deal, these things can happen in the cup.’ And sure enough the Rams were level within 4 minutes, going right before cutting back for Josh Weeden to go in behind the posts. Pat Walker added the conversion, and for a moment the Earth seemed to be back on its axis.

Oulton clearly thought different. While the Rams were content to play one man rugby up the centre of the pitch, the raiders were moving the ball sweetly and reaped their just reward 3 minutes later when full back Scott McDonald scored their second try and White added the conversion. As if that wasn’t enough, they repeated the dose only a minute later. This time it was White breaking down the middle and dummying full back Field before scoring under the posts before adding the conversion.

This vulnerability down the middle has been a problem dating back to last season, and if we can’t get it sorted quickly, it could cost us dear when the League season gets underway. Coming up to the 20 minute mark, not only couldn’t we tackle, but we struggled to hold on to the ball for more than a play or two. Almost inevitably it was Oulton who added further to their score with a penalty, stretching their lead to 20 – 6, and a shock was definitely on the cards.

At last the Rams were able to exert some pressure, and when Oulton coughed up the ball in their own 22, it went quickly left for Kane Epati to score the first try since his comeback from injury. Pat Walker added another good conversion, but the Raiders were almost through again. They were still playing the better football, and a long, downwind kick early in the set found nobody home, and only good covering from winger Gary North foiled McDonald.

Slowly the Rams dragged themselves back into the game, though it was late in the half before they scored again, Liam Finn forcing his way over from acting half. A minute later he was over again, and with walker adding the conversion Rams found themselves leading 22 – 20 at half time. Given their lacklustre performance for much of the half, it was a lead they didn’t deserve.

Unlike last week though, they got off to a decent start in the second half, Martin Robinson stretching out a long arm to score. Walker continued to kick well adding the extras, and slowly Oulton began to tire. It was another 15 minutes before Dean Lawford’s delayed pass put Liam Crawley through on the laft. Again Walker added the goal and for the first time the Rams looked safe, if not entirely convincing.

Lawford was having an effect now, his stumble, going left seemed to put off the defence the way it sometimes does, and when Dean regained his balance and kept the move going Epati was left with the space to go over for his second try of the game. A couple of minutes later, Lawford went all the way, breaking the Oulton defence to score under the posts. Inevitably it seemed, Walker added both conversions.

It was all one-way traffic now, and when the ball went loose on the left, Epati gathered his own kick through to score his third try of the game, though Walker’s long kick hit the posts. With the score now 50 – 20, the game was over, though nobody told the Raiders, and they came back to score again, winger Adrian Holdsworth going over in the corner for a try that had even the Rams supporters singing their praises in the South Stand.

With time running out they almost repeated the feat, though it was the Rams who had the final word, Chris Langley squeezing over in the corner to complete the scoring at 54 – 24.

So in the end things worked out pretty much the way they were meant to do. The Rams progress to Round 4, where hopefully we’ll get a winnable tie before drawing one of the big guns later in the competition.

Congratulations to Oulton for pushing us all the way, (and scaring the pants off me). Given that the attendance was only 785, the bar was as crowded and noisy as it’s been since Boxing Day. Actually it was a good day all round. This was the RL cup the way it used to be, but if we can’t get our defence sorted before Good Friday, we could have a long and difficult season ahead of us

TEAMS:- Oulton Raiders:- Scott McDonald; Adrian Holdsworth; Gavin Wood; Steve Jakeman; Danny Elston; Andy Williamson; Alan White; Mick Coyle; Aidan Bowden; Carlos Sanchez; Oli Graham; Sasch Brook; Andy Falkingham. Subs:- Joe Hawley; Danny Hardy; Danny Burton; Ian Booth.
Dewsbury Rams:- Mark Field; Gary North; Chris Langley; Andrew Bostock; Kane Epati; Josh Weeden; Dean Lawford; Aaron trinder; Liam Finn; Dominic Maloney; Tere Glassie; Alex Bretherton; Patrick Walker. Subs:- Luke Haigh; Martin Robinson; Liam Crawley; Jake Wilson.

Refreee :- Mr. J. Child Man of Match :- Raiders – Andy Williamson.
:- Rams – Liam Finn.