ROUGHYEDS suffered a shock defeat on Sunday, losing 28-18 to Keighley Cougars who leapfrogged them to go to the top of League One, writes Kelsey Smith.

It was a poor first half showing from Oldham whose completion rate was around 50 per cent, having thrown away several chances to score.

Cougars, on the other hand, were disciplined and well-structured as they racked up an 18-0 lead in the first half – a margin which proved too big to overturn.

High-spending Oldham went into the game at the top of the league with the best attack and defence, but received a rude awakening at Cougar Park on Sunday afternoon.

Too often Oldham, in attacking scenarios, came up with ball-handling errors – one of which resulted in a length-of-the-field try for Keighley.

Cougars asked serious questions of the Oldham line with their last play kicks from Jack Miller, who was also successful in all but the last conversion for Keighley.

Izaac Farrell opened the scoring when he reacted quickly to Charlie Graham’s late offload, just before he went into touch on their last play kick, with Oldham bamboozled.

After forcing two goal-line drop-outs, as well as having a try ruled out, Keighley doubled their advantage when Graham intercepted a wild pass out wide – just as Tyrer was about to score for Oldham – to run the length of the field to make it 12-0.

Cougars kept piling forward and were in again when George Flanagan, who was a metre or so short from the line, sneaked in to dive over from dummy-half to the dismay of the Oldham defenders.

There was plenty of effort from Roughyeds, who produced some good strong tackles, but in good ball territory they too often let chances slip through their fingers.

Jordan Turner gave Sean Long’s Oldham a lifeline on 50 minutes when he forced his way over, direct from the scrum, with Ellis adding the extras to bring Keighley’s advantage back to just two scores.

They nearly scored again, shortly after, when Danny Craven, who broke free of several Cougars tacklers, did everything but ground the ball cleanly, with Keighley breathing a huge sigh of relief.

That error was compounded barely a minute later when Junior Sa’u pounced on a Miller kick to the corner to restore their advantage.

Another chance came and went for Oldham who, despite their best efforts, could not gain any momentum.

Miller, after tasting success earlier on with a kick to Sa’u, popped another one his way and it paid off with the winger doubling his score to take the game beyond Oldham.

Roughyeds have often sparked into life late on in the second half, but this time that resurgence came far too late.

Something finally clicked in the last 10 minutes, when Cian Tyrer and Phoenix Laulu-Togaga’e crossed the line for two tries which Ellis converted, but there was no time left for any more.

Keighley’s win now blows the race for the League One title wide open and with both sides to play each other twice more, you sense the story has plenty more chapters to go.

n Scorers:

Keighley: goals, Miller 4/5; tries, Farrell, Graham, Flanagan, Sa’u x2

Oldham: goals, Ellis 3/3; tries, Turner, Laulu-Togaga’e, Tyrer,

Keighley: Pickersgill; Graham, Sa’u, Robson, Walkley; Farrell, Miller; Maher, Kesik, Ioane, Parker, Lanskey, Brown. Subs: Flanagan, Schofield, Hatton, Revell (all used). 18th Man: Thomas

Oldham: Laulu-Togaga’e; M. Turner, Jack Johnson, J.Turner, Tyrer; Craven, Ellis; Farnworth, Wildie, J.Chapelhow, Gallagher, Lawton, Taylor. Subs: T.Chapelhow, Kopczak, Hirst, Josh Johnson (all used). 18th Man: Astley.

Referee: Nick Bennett; HT: 18-0; Pens: 7-4