MATCH REPORT | OLDHAM EDGE ODSAL BATTLE
Halifax Panthers fell to defeat in their first ‘On The Road’ Home game of 2025 as they suffered a 23-20 loss to Oldham at Odsal. Kyle Eastmond’s men put in a determined and spirited performance right to the very end but fell just short on a sun soaked Sunday afternoon in West Yorkshire.
The Round 15 fixture was played at Odsal due to the ongoing pitch renovation works at The Shay, and the Panthers looked to have settled into their new surroundings in quick fashion as they took an early lead through Owen McCarron on 11 minutes. The Aussie backrower powering onto a Jack Hansen short ball at the line to give Fax the impetus, Hansen converted for a 6-0 advantage.
But the visitors fired straight back. A cross field kick on the last saw Ben Davies climb highest to pluck the ball out of the sky and touch down. David Nofoaluma had a chance to break away for a score ruled out for a double knock on before a massive stroke of fortune saw the yeds take the lead which they would not relinquish all afternoon.
Ben Crooks read Josh Drinkwater’s cut out pass and tried to intercept, but the ball repelled into the air before being batted back by the Fax skipper. Hansen went for it but the ball ricocheted and pinballed off multiple legs before popping up perfectly into the arms of Mathieu Pons to dive over on 27 minutes. 6-10 to Oldham.
Some big hits flew in as the Panthers pack looked to leave their markers on the opposition, Vila Halafihi on debut showing his Championship pedigree alongside Owen McCarron, Brandon Douglas and Adam Tangata. But some ill discipline and errors proved costly, a penalty just on the hooter gave Danny Craven chance for a drop goal that would take Oldham into the dressing rooms with a 5 point half time lead at 6-11.
Whatever Kyle Eastmond said in his half time team talk would soon go out of the window though, as the visitors struck from deep just 2 plays after the kick off. Eloi Pelissier finding space at marker as he jumped out from dummy half before finding Phoenix Laulu-Togagae with the final pass to cruise over under the sticks. Drinkwater converted to push the yeds lead out to 6-17 just a single minute into the second half.
The Panthers would not go down without a fight, however. They showed resilience and stamina and soon fought their way back through a fortuitous score of their own. A pass out wide deflected off the hands of Davies and into the path of the onrushing Ben Tibbs to cross in the corner. Hansen off target from the touchline still leaving a two score deficit to overcome for the hosts.
More ill discipline would prove costly again as Drinkwater dummied his way through before offloading for Owen Farnworth to dive over next to the posts for a converted score and push Oldham out into a 10-23 lead. But the Panthers again showed their grit and determination to stick to their task.
The fightback was well and truly on when Vila Halafihi dived over from dummy half for a debut try on the hour. Hansen adding the extras to cut the gap to seven points, but again tempers boiling over alongside ill discipline with the ball would stifle the Panthers momentum at crucial times.
With time running out, Fax finally got to within one score of the visitors again. A lovely shift from right to left created space for Nofoaluma to feed James Saltonstall, the testimonial man barging his way over in the corner with a brilliant finish to cut the gap to just three at 20-23.
The Panthers were certainly in the ascendancy now but time was against them. Back to back penalties had Fax hammering on the door of the Oldham line, forcing a goal line drop out to pile on the pressure. But they just couldn’t get over the line, Louis Jouffret losing control of the ball as he tried to stretch out and that would be all she wrote. Successive defeats for Fax but signs of improvement overall as the Panthers drop to sixth on the Betfred Championship ladder. Final score Halifax Panthers 20 – 23 Oldham RLFC
Halifax Panthers
Nofoaluma, Tibbs, Crooks, C Graham, Saltonstall, Jouffret, Hansen, Cowen, O’Brien, Douglas, Tangata, McCarron, Fairbank
Subs: Inman, Calcott, B Graham, Halafihi (18th Man: Restall)
Tries: McCarron (11), Tibbs (47), Halafihi (60), Saltonstall (73)
Goals: Hansen 2/3
Jouffret 0/1
Oldham RLFC
Laulu-Togagae, Johnson, O’Keefe, Davies, Pons, Craven, Drinkwater, J Chapelhow, Alridge, Farnworth, Lannon, Ashurst, Milner
Subs: Pelissier, E Chapelhow, Hirst, Taylor (18th Man: Parker)
Tries: Davies (14), Pons (27), Laulu-Togagae (40), Farnworth (53)
Goals: Drinkwater 3/4
Drop Goal: Craven (39)
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