Coach retains faith in winger

SCOTT Naylor has pinned his faith in Mo Agoro - even though the young winger has currently lost his first-team spot to the more experienced Adam Clay.

The 21-year-old former Leeds Rhinos youngster’s last game was in the shock 40-14 defeat at Gateshead on August 31.

Dale Bloomfield and Clay now command Oldham’s wing spots, but Agoro has been buoyed by his inclusion in the list of nominees for the division’s young player of the year award.

He has four rivals: Matty Beharrell (Gateshead), Connor Farrer (South Wales), Ben Reynolds (York) and James Saltonstall (York).

None of them can match Agoro’s 18 tries, which put him joint third in the Championship One list and only two behind the top try scorer in the division - his colleague Dale Bloomfield.

Coach Naylor said: “Mo has had a good season but Dale and Adam are both playing well. He deserves to be in the mix for the award because he's a great lad.”

Agoro said: “I’m disappointed to have lost my place, but I know I’ve a lot to learn about wing play and I’m trying to improve each year. I think I’ve had a decent season.”

With only one more game to play — the promotion-deciding Grand Final against York or Hunslet at Headingley a week on Sunday — Naylor will take some of the heat out of training this week.

He said: "It will be a little bit more relaxed than usual and then we’ll step up the tempo again next week.

“I’m fortunate in that I have a good bunch of lads. They’ll be proud to walk out on their big day at Headingley and receive what I know will be a big reception from Oldham fans.”



TICKETS for the final on October 5 (4.05pm kick off) will go on sale from the refreshment van at Whitebank from 5pm-7pm tonight (Tues) and on each evening this week, then on Saturday from 10am-noon.