Cornwall boss Mike Abbott is proud despite 42-0 defeat at leaders Oldham

Cornwall boss Mike Abbott says he is proud of his players despite a 42-0 defeat at home to League One leaders Oldham.

Tries from Kieran Tyrer, Brad Gallagher and Mo Agoro saw the Roughyeds lead 12-0 at half-time, with Cornwall conceding five tries in a 15 minute period after the break.

Tyrer completed the win with a second try shortly after Cornwall saw Nathan Collins sent off for an alleged punch in a melee that also saw team-mate Nathan Cullen and Agoro.

Oldham’s 42 points were the fewest they have scored in a league game this season as they remain top of the table after seven wins from seven games. Cornwall, who won their first game of the season 24-22 at Midlands Hurricanes last week, remain second from bottom.

“I’m extremely proud of them,” Abbott said after the game.

“I said in the last few games we wanted to start and improve the performance and the main thing we talked about this week was not to disappear when teams scored – just stay in it and don’t let them get away.

“I thought the half-time score was probably what we deserved. Probably if we had been a bit smarter on a few occasions we would have scored points and it could have been closer. I did not leave.

“I think in the second half, we don’t start great and then there was a 15-minute window where I don’t think we touched the ball that much and they had a really good role.

“They are a good outfit with some really good players and they did the boring stuff really well and we struggled to cope.”