History made at Cornwall RLFC’s clash against Oldham

History was made on Sunday when Tara Jones became the first female to referee a professional club rugby league game in the Northern Hemisphere for Cornwall RLFC’s clash against Oldham.

Cornwall put in a valiant showing against the title favourites, with Cian Tyrer bagging a four-timer for the Roughyeds, writes Gareth Davies.

Playing their first game for three weeks, the Choughs were very much in the game for large parts against an Oldham outfit who blew Hunslet away 62-0 seven days ago.

In a tight opening 20 minutes, Cornwall only trailed 6-4 with Harry Aaronson scoring for the visitors – his third try in as many games.

But Oldham took control to lead 26-4 at the interval before Tom Ashton kept Cornwall on the home side’s coat tails with the first try of the second stanza, converted by Cameron Brown.

The game was intriguingly poised at this stage but Oldham found another gear as the proceedings wore on to score five further tries to keep their 100 per cent league record intact.

Cornwall started brightly and, in the side’s very first set, Ashton broke the line and got the visitors in range.

But shipping successive penalties, Oldham marched up the field and their captain Jordan Turner crossed out wide and Danny Craven converted.

Many of the four-figure crowd inside Boundary Park expected the floodgates to open at this stage but Cornwall dug in and went set-for-set with the Rougyeds.

Eventually Cornwall did score after Oldham conceded a penalty and a six-again in quick succession. In a virtual carbon-copy of his try against North Wales, Punchard’s looping, long pass, found Aaronson who finished brilliantly out wide.

Brown missed with extras but Cornwall were up and running.

But no sooner had the Choughs gained a foothold in the match, they let Oldham back in as the restart was fumbled and Sean Long’s side had the ball back.

Tyrer made Cornwall pay with his first of the afternoon before Craven scooted over from close to the visitors’ line.

As half-time approached, Brown broke from deep in his own half but was cut down by the home defence. The game was stopped due to an Oldham injury and when play restarted, Cornwall coughed up the ball in midfield.

Jordan Turner picked up the scraps and eventually fed Tyrer who went over for his second of the afternoon.

Being 26-4 at the break was perhaps harsh on Cornwall after their endeavours in the opening stanza, but the away side started the second half in positive fashion.

In the first set after the turnaround, Punchard’s high bomb saw Lalua-Togaga’e and Mackenzie Turner collide, the ball was knocked forward and Cornwall had regained possession.

They made Oldham pay, too, with Black and Brown linking brilliantly before the latter fed Ashton who powered over. Brown nailed a wonderful conversion from the sideline to bring Cornwall right back into contention.

From the restart, Oldham kicked the ball out on the full but the hosts were the next to score. Jordan Turner ran on the last tackle and he found Tyrer who duly completed his hat-trick.

However, the try came at a cost to both teams as Decarlo Trerise was forced off with a suspected dislocated shoulder and Jordan Turner limped from the field.

For the next ten minutes or so, the game became somewhat scrappy with both sides guilty of errors but Cornwall, for the most part, matched Oldham.

But in the final 15 minutes, Oldham took advantage of the Choughs getting on the wrong side of referee Jones to score three further tries.

Mackenzie Turner, playing against the club he served on loan for a brief spell in 2022, showed blistering pace to score and then Tyrer bagged his fourth of the afternoon, following a barnstorming run from prop Craig Kopcazk.

The scoring was completed by Lalua-Togaga’e, whose running from deep caused Cornwall problems all afternoon, and despite visiting appeals for crossing, Oldham were in for a ninth and final time.

Cornwall: Brown, Aaronson, Nichol, Ashton, Mitchell, Punchard, Black, Ross, Collins, Boots, Cullen, Simpson, Weetman. Interchange: (all used) Dimech, Conroy, Trerise, Lloyd

Tries: Aaronson (17), Ashton (42)

Goals: Brown ½

Oldham: Lalua-Togaga’e, Tyrer, Morgan, J Turner, M Turner, Craven Astley, Kopcazk, Aldridge, Farnworth, Gallagher, Lawton, J Chapelhow. Interchange: (all used) Paga, T Chapelhow, Johnson, Taylor.

Tries: J Turner (4), Tyrer (19, 35, 50, 66) Craven (24), Lalua-Togaga’e (38, 69), M Turner (62),

Goals: Craven 2/4, Tyrer 3/5

Referee: Tara Jones

Attendance: 1,136