THE sunshine bus rolled into Oldham in confident mood having only lost once since the Christmas break but two late cry offs due to illness in the camp caused a major reshuffle especially in the pack.

Martin Pike and Daniel Ginnochio came onto the bench for their first outings of the season and both will benefit from the game time and the running in their legs.

A poor opening to the game ultimatly cost the Atoms perhaps trying to play too much rugby too soon before the middle ground had been won.

The Atoms did gain the superiority in this area but it wasnt before they were trailing by 16 points to nil after only 15 minutes played.

Two more Heysham handling errors were punished in the strongest way as their left hand defence was opened up with a series of neat passing moves.

Not for the first time Steven Jackson was working his socks off in defence making effective tackles all across the park which lifted the spirits of the Atoms players.

A play out to the left to strong running centre Stuart Lacey took the Atoms within touching distance of the line and hooker Mike Marrin burrowed his way over the line, between two defenders showing good strength, converted by Livingstone.

Slack play at marker gifted Saddleworth their fourth try of the game which was against the run of play but gave Saddleworth a 20 point to 6 lead at the break.

The Atoms coaching staff re-affirmed the game plan at the interval wanting a positive reaction from their players and they got it within two minutes of the re-start.

An attack down the Atoms right got Rob Shaw into space.

The Saddleworth defenders couldn't wrestle him to the ground and he was able to slip the ball out of the tackle to the supporting Dan Ginnochio who showed great determination to reach the whitewash.

Loose forward Mark Walker had looked dangerous all game and he took a short pass from brother Neil bursting through two defenders for a converted try.

A double sin-binning - one from either side - leveled up the numbers but made the spaces more difficult to defend.

Impressive Mark Walker took his second oppertunity breaking through a number of tackles leaving tacklers in his wake as he gave his side a 24-20 lead with a converted try with 18 mins left to play.

The momentum switched in Saddleworth's favour and a strong drive by their enormous prop forward drew four defenders to him he slipped the ball out of the tackle and the supporting player forced his way over the line for a try converted and giving Saddleworth a slender two point lead entering the final 15 minutes of the game.

The Atoms threw everything into attack but just couldnt find that all elusive opening that would have given them victory.

As the game drew to a close Saddleworth put up a towering bomb that was fumbled by an Atoms defender and cruelly for the Heysham side a Saddleworth player was on hand to put downward pressure on the ball giving them a 32-24 victory with the last play of the game.

Atoms: Sean Weed, Gavin Winder, Stuart Lacey, Billy Livingstone, Jake Harrison, Neil Walker, Andy Helme, Chris Helme, Mike Marrin, Shane Weed, Al Crookall, Steven Jackson, Mark Walker, Martin Pike, Daniel Ginnochio, James Hamilton, Rob Shaw.

Portrait Pools Man of the Match: 1. Mark Walker; 2 Sean Weed; 3 Andy Helme.

* Next Saturday's home league game versus Woolston (Warrington) kick-offs at 2.30 pm at Trimpell Rugby League Ground.