Young guns set to go for it

HIGH HOPES . . . Oldham’s Adam Files.

SCOTT Naylor will be relying on his young bulls to make the going tough for Oxford's senior citizens in the key battle for pack supremacy at Whitebank on Sunday.

In terms of age and experience there will be little to separate the three-quarters and half-backs of Naylor's Oldham and Tony Benson's Oxford.

But it will be a different story in the forwards. The backbone of Benson's pack will be formed by the 30-and-over club – Martin Roden (33), David Ellison (31), Danny Halliwell (32) and Valu Bentley (30), with John Clough, always a threat from dummy half, not far behind at 28.

Oldham's Jason Boults (29) has seen similar service, but most of the other Roughyeds forwards are in their first season of senior rugby.

Naylor and his right-hand man Lee Spencer pin great faith in up-and-coming forwards like Adam Files (19), Callum Marriott (19), Josh Crowley (21), Danny Langtree (22), Liam Thompson (21), Michael Ward (22) and Phil Joy (21).

Benson, sacked by Oldham towards the end of last season after nearly four years, says his return will not be affected by emotion.

"It's just another game. It will be a good test, but we go there with no great expectations," he said.

Naylor too is taking a low-key approach. He said: "I know some of our players have kept in touch with the lads who have gone to Oxford, so players on both sides will have vested interests in terms of wanting to do especially well.

"From my point of view I'll approach it like any other game. Come Sunday the boys will be ready to go."



THE under-20s are in action at Whitebank tomorrow (Fri) night (8pm kick-off) against the strongest side in the competition, Featherstone Rovers.