Roughyeds have plenty in reserve

OLDHAM'S reserves bring down the curtain on a promising first season with an away trip to face Barrow a week on Saturday (2.30pm kick off).

Though the side jointly coached by John Hough and Leo Casey has won only two of its 14 fixtures in the Reserve Team First Division, the squad as a whole has made great strides since the start of the season.

Hough is certainly pleased with the way things have gone for his young side in what is viewed as the first full campaign in a three-year plan.

"It has gone really well and we have been really pleased with the guys," said Hough.

"It is good to see the progress that has been made. The vast majority of our squad is made up of 18-year-olds and the proof of the pudding will come in two or three years' time.

"Last week against Widnes we were up against 10 players with first team experience but we still managed to come up with the two best tries of the night.

"There are always negatives and we will carry on working on them, as always.

"But we have always competed and never given in. We have shown really good spirit throughout.

"Overall, both myself and Leo are pleased with the way things are going."

The outstanding young player each week has been invited to train with the first team.

One of the men to have benefited from that process is full-back Anthony Bingham.

Though he is currently only back due to a mid-season break from the American Football season he is involved with in Germany, Hough isn't ruling out a Roughyeds future for the quick, elusive runner.

"We will never say never," said Hough.

"I spotted that he had something special early on but he was then offered the chance to go to American Football which he wanted to take.

"But he wanted to come back here so that is positive."

There is one outstanding fixture for the Roughyeds, at home against Workington, which was called off by the visitors hours before kick off.

Officials are currently waiting on the RFL to rule whether they pick up the points, or if the game needs to be replayed.