Oldham 48 Hornets 28

Loose-forward Phil Joseph, who was immense for Oldham, powers his way towards the Hornets line.

A typically rambunctious derby ended in defeat for Hornets at Boundary Park.

Nine-try Oldham, now captained by ex-Rochdale man Tommy Goulden, were typified on the day by the performance of loose forward Phil Joseph.

Hornets players were regularly shrugged off his powerful frame like rag dolls and the amazing try on the half-hour summed up not only Joseph’s blue riband day but also his team’s.

Tackler after tackler — there must have been at least seven — were passed through as one-man wrecking machine Joseph shifted direction and bounded infield from the left.

From dummy-half, Martin Roden produced a dummy that sent Hornets full-back Mark Brocklehurst scampering into the nearby car park in search of the man in the scrum cap, who slid over between the uprights.

Another goal from debutant Matty Ashe, who ended with four in total, put the home side 22-6 up at that stage and left the result in little doubt.

It is fair to say that Hornets coach Darren Shaw would have been disappointed with some abject defence on his side’s part, particularly in the first half, but there was no denying Oldham were playing with real brio.

The tempo was set five minutes in with a flare-up between the outstanding Neil Roden and Hornets prop David Best which went unpunished, save for a penalty to Oldham.

The home side regularly took advantage of such gifts before half-time and tries from Chris Baines and Lee Greenwood — following some evasive running by Paul O’Connor — were answered by the first of winger John Gillam’s hat-trick, Hornets scrum-half Liam McGovern kicking the first of his four goals to make it 12-6 after 16 minutes.

Dayne Donoghue was then sent to the sin-bin and Oldham took advantage through a Goulden try and Martin Roden’s sizzling effort, before Baines helped make it 26-6 at half-time.

Another superb try arrived four minutes after the restart. A great break involving Joseph, O’Connor and Martin Roden ended with the ball being spun left for centre Jamie Russo to stroll home.

Hornets responded strongly and claimed quick-fire tries through McGovern and Gillam, before Oldham claimed a swift pair of their own when Craig Robinson and Neil Roden scored, the latter following a great chasing down of his own deflected kick from Joseph.

Neil Roden then produced a brilliant saving tackle on flying winger Leroy Rivett, forcing him into touch, before Joseph and Best were invited to the sidelines for a temporary spell after the most minor of spats with 13 minutes left.

Neil Roden had time to create another for O’Connor, extending the lead to 48-16, before late tries from Hornets duo Gillam and McGovern rounded off the highly entertaining proceedings.