Championship One side Oldham Roughyeds were massive favourites to make progress into the third round of the Challenge Cup as they faced Castleford Lock Lane from the National Conference League One in the final second round tie.
As the kick-off approached the rain started to fall but with an artificial surface it wouldn´t affect the conditions underfoot but may cause more issues with ball handling, but few gave any hope for Lock Lane as they took on a side who, on paper, were far too strong for them.
Lock Lane did brilliantly to defend their lines and thwarted the Oldham attacks as they gave as good as they got and had opportunities in attack. It was the rank underdogs who opened the scoring on fourteen minutes with the ball moved wide to Nathan Fozzard after a towering kick was fumbled by the Oldham defence and the half-back picked up the loose ball to scamper in without a hand laid on him. The kick was missed by Fozzard, the amateurs 4-0 ahead.
On seventeen Lewis Price was fed by Fozzard with a fantastic inside ball to crash the Oldham line for back-to-back tries, the home side stunned. Fozzard was able to add the conversion for a 10-0 lead. There could be little argument, Lock Lane were well worth their advantage.
A high shot in the closing moments of the half looked as though it had gifted Oldham a score to close the half, but the Lock Lane defence held firm as they took a 10-0 lead into the interval.
Three minutes after the restart Oldham managed to do something they had failed to do in the first forty as after working from side to side, a Slater pass put Jason Muranka over for the four-pointer. Martyn Ridyard added the conversion for 6-10, Oldham looking like they meant business in the second forty.
Oldham bombed a clear try two minutes later when Tommy Brierley outrageously failed to ground the ball despite there being no tacklers anywhere near him.
After two short hiatuses for a floodlight failure on forty-six and fifty-one minutes the referee warned that one more would force an abandonment.
Callum Butler was ruled to have knocked-on for Lock Lane on the Oldham line on sixty-one but on their next set Daniel Holmes crashed over the line from five metres out for a sensational score. Fozzard was able to add the conversion and the ten-point lead was re-established.
There was an immediate response from Oldham when on their next attack David Hewitt took the pass ten out and stepped off his left foot to go in under the sticks. Ridyard added the conversion for 12-16 with twelve minutes remaining. A nailbiting finish had been set up.
Lock Lane had a try ruled out by the referee with seven minutes remaining, but their tremendous defence denied Oldham four minutes later with a last-ditch defence in front of their sticks.
With seconds left Chris Siddons took the ball a metre from the line and reversed over the line before twisting and grounding to seal a magnificent and unexpected victory. Fozzard added the extras with just seconds remaining and a giant killing was complete, Oldham players hanging their heads in shame while the Lock Lane squad celebrated like they´d lifted the famous old trophy.
Oldham: Restall, Brierley (T), Cooke, Wellington, Holcroft, Ridyard (2G), Hewitt (T), Nelmes, Wright, Spencer, Muranka, Ferry, Whittel. Subs: Slater, Andrade, Thornton, Coventry.
Castleford Lock Lane: Price (T), Bloomer, Duncan, Newbould, Moon, Fozzard (T, 3G), Butler, Cranswick, Savage, Siddons (T), Herczeg, Holmes (T), Maskill. Subs: Punchard, Robinson, Mawson, Smith.
Half-Time: 0-10.
Full-Time: 12-22.
Score Progression: 0-4, 0-8, 0-10 : HT : 4-10, 6-10, 6-14, 6-16, 10-16, 12-16, 12-20, 12-22 : FT .
Referee: B. Milligan.