Town let 16-point lead slip

Last updated 21:28, Wednesday, 27 August 2008

DAVE Rotheram was pleased with the effort put in by his bruised and battered players, despite Town letting a 16-0 advantage slip at Boundary Park.

Tries from Jamie Marshall, Gary Purdham and Franco Kmet, plus two Carl Forber goals, saw the visitors establish a commanding lead. But a Rob Roberts try six minutes before the break helped break open the floodgates and a tired Town side failed to add to their tally as the home team established total control.

“When we went 16-0 in front and I thought, here we go, it’s going alright here,” said Rotheram.

“But they had too much firepower for us in the end with players like Said Tamghart, Luke Menzies and Rob Roberts and their half-backs could play off the back of that.

“We ran out of bodies and power. We had blokes on there who were carrying knocks and keeping lads on longer than they should have been because we had nobody left on the bench to put back on.

“Once Oldham got their act together they certainly proved to be quite formidable.

“The effort was fantastic, though, and I was pleased that the crowd recognised that and clapped them off the field at the end.”

Injury-hit Town will face an away trip to York, Doncaster or Keighley when the National League Two play-offs commence and Rotheram feels a tight end-of-season competition is on the cards.

“We get a week off now and don’t have to play for a fortnight,” he added. “Hopefully we can get some bodies mended so we can attack the play-offs with enthusiasm and confidence.

“Whichever team it is, there won’t be much in these division two play-offs. On their day, any team can beat any other team.

“It will be quite a tight series and the teams in third and fourth won’t be guaranteed places in the Grand Final."