The Road to Wembley - Part 4

Challenge Cup Round 4

Oldham Roughyeds 40 Kells 6 – Sunday, 20 March 2016

Having known where I would be going for this fourth round match, and being pleased that it would be a closer trip than I’ve previously had to make, matchday finally arrived (a full three weeks after the last round!)  My Challenge Cup journey would continue with Kells who had been drawn away to recently promoted Championship side Oldham Roughyeds.

Interestingly both sides were coming into this game out of form.  Despite Kells’ excellent displays in the early rounds of the Challenge Cup, they had lost their first league game at home to Siddal the previous weekend, and were coming up against an Oldham side who had won just once in the Championship in their first five attempts.

This being my first visit to an Oldham game for a number of years it was nice to receive a couple of tweets and comments from some Roughyeds fans in the weeks following the draw and some invited me to join them for a pre-match drink and get to know and meet a few of them.  One of those supporters was Dave Naylor, a blogger and match reporter covering Oldham home and away and he even wrote a nice blog about my exploits in this season’s competition, https://daretobewise.uk/roughyedsfan/rugby-league-blogger-the-road-to-wembley/.  Plenty of rugby was discussed, particularly who I supported and what the heck I was doing at an Oldham game, but it was nice to hear that most of the fans were pleased and impressed with the new ground they had been allowed to share for the 2016 season.

So once I’d finished my drink I made the short journey through to the ground.  This would also be the first game of this season’s Challenge Cup where I would visit a ground that I’ve been to previously.  Bower Fold is the home of Stalybridge Celtic FC and in my days of covering non-league football I visited with AFC Fylde in August 2014.  Fylde lost that day but I’d be happy in the knowledge that I won’t be hoping that one side wins over the other this time around.

The Roughyeds had been the perennial nearly men of semi-pro rugby league for a number of years prior to last season when they finally achieved promotion back to the Championship after years of heartache.  They claimed top spot in the inaugural League 1 final table and therefore home advantage in the Grand Final where they beat Keighley to gain the first promotion place to the Championship and are playing at level two again a full 10 years since their last appearance at this level.

Kells on the other hand came to Oldham’s new home full of belief that they could match their higher level opponents and possibly cause another upset.  Despite the final score, they didn’t disgrace themselves.

I managed to track down and catch up with Russ from Kells in the clubhouse.  He shared the team news with me and we had a brief chat about Kells’ last match with Siddal and hopes for this game.  He was hoping the amateurs cold keep their cup dream alive and claim another semi professional scalp.  After a brief chat I left him to his pint and find a good spot to watch the game from.

I noticed that Oldham had try-scoring winger Adam Clay in their line-up.  Being a Barrow lad I remember him from when he finished as the leading try scorer for the Raiders in the 2013 season and signed for Oldham not long after that.  I saw him play for Oldham against Barrow up at Craven Park early last season and he showed his quality then with a couple of tries for his new club.

The visitors got the game underway but fell behind to a well-worked fifth minute try from Oldham’s winger and their bigger size saw them able to grab hold of the gamy by the scruff of their necks and eventually scored three more tries and two conversations to gain a 20-0 lead with three minutes to go before the break.

But Kells kept the game alive with a converted try of their own right on half time much the delight of their travelling fans to close the gap on the score board and effectively keeping themselves in the tie at the break.  I would like to say I saw the try being scored but, as in the last round, I missed Kell’s try due to an unplanned call of nature!

Over the interval I treated myself to a hot dog and caught up with Dave again.  We both agreed that Kells were still in this game and whoever scored the next try could be vital.  Unfortunately for the visitors it was Oldham who snatched it two minutes into the half and from that they scored a further 16 unanswered points to secure their place in the next round.

Kells were rightly applauded off the pitch at the final whistle after a valiant display.  They showed much of what had won them through to this stage of the competition and still battled right up to the full time whistle showing good pace and movement around the park but were unable to find a further score to reach double figures on the scoreboard.

The cup dream may be over for Kells but it’s has begun in earnest for Oldham as they hope to land a plum tie against a Super League side in the next round.  It turns out that I’ll be following the ‘Yeds for at least another 80 minutes.

Prior to the game the Oldham fans were debating who they could get in the net round and it works out that there is a 1 in 30 chance that they will be drawn away to Toulouse, the only French side in the competition.  Oh Joy – nothing like tempting fate!!

And I’ve got to wait another FOUR weeks until Round 5 comes around ... How will I cope?!?!