Reserve-team talks

OLDHAM’S young guns will go through an end-of-season review this week to determine their respective futures at the club.

The reserves side finished its season at the weekend, going down to a 40-8 defeat at Barrow.

The cause of the team coached by John Hough and Leo Casey wasn’t helped by the sending off of Said Tamghart’s brother Mohammed midway through the first half for fighting — just five minutes after he came on the field.

Overall, though, it has been a positive first season for the Roughyeds second team, with a number of players such as BARLA tour duo Mark Smith and Steven Fisher and full-back Anthony Bingham impressing.

“We will sit down with all the players and discuss what happens from here,” said Roughyeds chief executive Chris Hamilton.

The first team’s penultimate match of the regular National League Two season takes place at Swinton on Sunday and the players will resume training tomorrow night after being given time off to rest a number of minor injuries.

No charges have resulted from the stormy clash at York two weeks ago, meaning coach Steve Deakin is free of suspension worries.

James Martin, signed on a month’s loan from Huddersfield last week along with team-mate Michael Brown, is likely to be in the action again at Sedgley Park.

The 20-year-old second row, a product of the same Newsome Panthers club in Huddersfield that produced Phil Joseph, was pleased with his debut in first-team rugby league as he helped Oldham to a 34-22 win over Barrow.

“I was a little nervous beforehand but that is how my game preparation works,” said Martin.

“Once I had my first hit-up, it was fine. The moves we use are quite similar to those we use in the Huddersfield reserve team, so it is just a case of getting used to the new names.

“I felt I got through the game okay and hopefully I will make progress from here.”