After our comprehensive bonus point victory last week at Ormskirk, this week we hosted Widnes in our first home fixture of the new decade. In fairness, we had a pretty good time of it in the teens without perhaps truly achieving what we looked capable of. We never got quite close enough to a promotion spot from the North Lancs and Cumbria division despite several very good seasons and some epic games and results up and down the M6. Last year we were just pipped to top spot in the Lancashire League to Widnes who proved to be a formidable and overwhelming force.

What is all the fuss about HS2 and the cost? In truth the fuss is about the HS i.e. high speed element. What a massive branding faux pas that was. It sounds like a real vanity project. In reality the west coast mainline isn't fit for purpose and hasn't been for decades. The basic infrastructure is over 100 years old and is shot to pieces. Band aid has been plastered all over it for years and it is no better. A new line is needed. So this isn't about high speed trains, it is about reliability and capacity and replacing obsolete infrastructure. And it is only a problem because it affects the North. Billions is spent on Cross Rail in London and nobody bats an eyelid. Get it built, get people back into work and provide us with a modern railway system, rather than the third world shambles that we have to put up with.

Selection problems eased and got worse this week. From last week, we lost Alex Jobson, but we gained Rob Somerwill, Ryan Pickles and Dean McEwan. Still missing key players in key positions but we are starting to look a bit more like our old selves as one or two return. Let’s hope that it continues. And former coach and player Lee Kemp paid us a visit from Australia. It’s always great when people keep in touch although I think he found the weather a bit on the cold side.

Is the age of the Royals coming to an end? I don't really have a problem with them and I wouldn't do their job for all the tea in China. But that woman was always going to be bad news and everyone knew it. Good luck to ginger, if he wants to find his own way in the world, just don't sponge off us while you do it. He isn't a real royal anyhow and Canada is welcome to them both!

Oldham chose to play into a strong wind and received the kick off. They had a great first 15 minutes and had the majority of the ball. They spent much of the time in and around the Widnes 22 and really should have scored on a couple of occasions. But the Widnes defence is strong and they scramble well. This aligned with Oldham mistakes and a lack of composure at key moments meant that we didn’t capitalise on a very fine start.

When Widnes had a chance, they were totally ruthless. They have a class full back who has a monstrous right boot and our game plan was not to kick to him. Well, just about every kick did exactly that. He launched one back and we fielded it close to our 22. Widnes got forward much quicker than we got back and they were awarded a penalty at the breakdown on our 10m line. It was the first time they had possession in our half. A quick tap saw the ball spread to a pacy outside centre who very quickly noted that our defence was at sixes and sevens and he scored by the posts and the conversion made the score 0-7. This soon became 0-12 when Widnes broke down the blindside from a scrum on the 22 and the winger gathered his kick ahead to score in the corner.

So we had had possession in the Widnes half for almost all of the first quarter and we found ourselves two scores down. Oldham continued to control much of the possession and territory but couldn't get over the line but eventually took three points when Megram converted a penalty in front of the posts to make the score 3-14.

But it was Widnes who kept the scoreboard ticking over scoring a try from a line out in our 22 when simple good hands and a great line from the full back tore open the Oldham defence and the conversion made the score 3-19. Then with the last kick of the first half, the full back slotted a penalty from 40m out with about 15m to spare to make the half time score 3-22.

The scoreboard never lies of course, but you couldn't blame Oldham if they considered themselves a bit hard done by and on the balance of play, you wouldn't have said that they should be 19 points down. But we fell into that fatal trap of kicking to their full back who either ran it back, always making many metres, or more likely used his big boot to gain 50 and 60 metres in field position. They then waited for us to make a mistake and took full advantage when we did with their pace and guile in the backs. It was almost a carbon copy of our first encounter at their place. We had to hope for better execution in attack and a more thoughtful kicking game if we were to get anything out of the game.

But even the weather dealt us a low blow when the strong wind that had carried big kicks in the first half even further, subsided to a mere zephyr blowing from touchline to touchline. Just when you are down, life has a nasty habit of kicking you right in the balls. But, we were quickly on the scoreboard at the start of the second half when Tom Davies went over in the corner to reduce the arrears to 8-22 and give us just a glimmer of hope.

That glimmer was well and truly snuffed out not long after in circumstances that more or less epitomised the game. Widnes were awarded a penalty about 10 m out but took umbrage and the referee reversed the penalty which gave us a chance to clear our lines. But the relieving kick didn't find touch and dropped straight into the hands of you've guessed who.......yes, their devastating full back. He immediately set off on yet another dazzling break and shortly afterwards Widnes had scored a bonus point try in the right hand corner. And to add insult to injury, the full back then nailed a fantastic conversion from the touchline to make the score 8-29.

To their credit, Oldham kept fighting to the end and were rewarded when Dalloway won the race to a Megram kick into the in goal area and Megram’s excellent conversion made the score 15- 29. But Widnes had the final word when they converted a penalty in front of the posts to make the final score 15-32. New man Joe Blood playing at fullback put in some good runs defended well and was awarded Oldham’s MOM.

The consensus amongst those watching was that his Widnes team is probably the best we have seen at this level for many a year. There was a really good St Benedicts team 4 or 5 years ago who played dazzling attacking rugby and probably pipped them in that aspect of the game. But Widnes have a better all round game and you have to admire how good and effective they are. They are excellent all over the pitch and don't have any obvious weaknesses. They are utterly ruthless and if you give them an inch, they take a mile. They are as physical as they need to be; they have a game plan that they stick to and they have invention and flair. In their No8, both centres and full back they had, comfortably, the best four players on the pitch. The sad thing is that this mad league of ours, outside of the main RFU league structure, does not allow them to progress, as many of their team deserve the opportunity to play at a higher level. The RFU and our Committee need to get their act together and sort this fiasco out. As for Widnes, we wish them well with their cup run to Twickenham .

This was our first home defeat for over a year and our heaviest for as long as I can remember. We are missing 8 very very good players but the 19 on the day were a good combination and will compete well at this level. We showed enough on the day to stay positive and maintain our belief that we can have another successful season. The result was mainly down to how good Widnes were and not because we were poor. Sometimes you simply have to accept that you were second best and recognise that improvements are required.

Who is to blame for the atrocity with the Ukrainian plane? Why were those missiles in the air?? Oh yeah, it was because Donald murdered an Iranian general. Thanks Donald. We all feel safer with you around.

Next week we are at home, in the cup............against Widnes. And we have to beat them by 20 points to progress. Come along and support Oldham. It genuinely is a good day out.