For the second successive Sunday, Oldham dug themselves out of a hole to beat derby rivals in unlikely fashion.

Werneth were on the wrong end of a Houdini act eight days ago and yesterday it was Royton's turn to feel the force of Oldham's incredible battling spirit.

From the moment they lost opening batsman Abid Hussain off the first ball of their innings, Oldham were up against it chasing 180 for victory.

But even when wickets were falling with regularity the home side clung to the belief that victory was achievable.

And, ultimately, that belief saw them over the winning line with one wicket and one delivery to spare.

Ian Chadwick was the hero of the hour, hitting an unbeaten 22 at number nine.

He was given terrific late support by skipper Matthew Taylor (19) as Royton bowlers Saeed Anwar and Shaun Marais were made to suffer in fading light.

Royton, who are showing signs of getting their act together after a series of disappointing results, made 179 for nine from their 50 overs.

The mainstay of their innings was professional Anwar, who made 54 before holing out to Ryan Mayes, fielding round the corner, off the bowling of Marnus Maritz.

Anwar was one of six victims for Oldham's overseas amateur, who got plenty of turn and bounce from a wicket tinged with green.

For Royton, there were useful contributions from opening batsman James Wainwright (33) and teenage middle-order player Ryan Harding (35).

But there is no doubt that the visitors missed Luke Procter, their prolific run-getter who was travelling down to Essex to play for Lancashire seconds in a three-day match.

And his absence was also to effect them when the home side took guard, for Royton skipper Matt Ward used only three bowlers in his side's bid to inflict Oldham's first derby defeat of the season.

Hussain's first-ball demise, in which he was caught behind by Gary Lees off Marais, saw professional Mark Charlton come to the crease much earlier than he would have liked, but the South African did a fine job of holding together the first half of the Oldham innings.

He saw Scott Bloor trapped leg before by an Anwar delivery which kept low, but was able to share a third-wicket stand of 46 with the in-form Paul Thompson before he fended an Anwar lifter to Denny Hulme, who took a fine low catch at silly mid-off.

Charlton had made 38 and done much to blunt the attacking intentions of Marais and Anwar.

Imran Aslam was next to go, well caught at deep square leg by Harding off Anwar, and Oldham looked in deep trouble when Thompson was caught behind off Marais for a battling 39.

Adam Dexter, who had dropped a dolly off Bloor, made amends with two splendid catches at deep mid-off to get rid of the dangerous Maritz and Jason Maher.

At 125 for seven and needing a run a ball, Oldham looked out of it, but they continued to play their shots and reached 175 for eight with a single Anwar over to come.

Four runs off the first three balls put them on the brink of victory before Taylor skied the next delivery to Harding at square leg.

However, the batsmen had crossed and, when Anwar's attempt to run out non-striker Ryan Mayes for backing up was turned down by the umpire, his second approach to the wicket saw his delivery crunched straight back past him by Chadwick.

Royton, like Werneth the previous week, were shattered to lose a game they had been in control of for most of the Oldham innings.

Nevertheless, they showed enough to suggest they should be able to climb the Lake Garage CLL table in the next few weeks, assuming this setback does not have a detrimental effect on the excellent team spirit they displayed yesterday.

As for Oldham, they must wish every game was a derby. Their record this seasons reads played six, won six. Impressive stuff.