Roughyeds show signs of promise
Reporter: by MATTHEW CHAMBERS at Boundary Park
Date published: 19 January 2009
Oldham’s players gather as a minute’s silence is held in the memory of former player Joe Collins.
OLDHAM 28 HUDDERSFIELD 12
TONY BENSON pronounced himself satisfied with a comfortable win over a green Huddersfield, in which there were a number of encouraging signs as to the new-look team's potential.
The 20-man Roughyeds side on show at Boundary Park is likely to be changed radically for this weekend’s visit to Leigh, with the entire first-team squad to be given a chance to impress before the Northern Rail Cup begins in three weeks’ time.
A number of players, though, have staked a strong claim for a shirt in that first competitive clash against Rochdale – most notably, debutant pair Mark Smith (19) and Anthony Bingham (23).
Smith looked compact and strong in the second row and linked in well with his team-mates, while Bingham claimed a try off a Gary Sykes pass and impressed with his speed and footwork on the left wing.
“It was encouraging,” said Benson, of the six-tries-to-two victory over a Giants side made up of the club’s under-18s and under-21s squads.
“The two young boys, Mark Smith and Anthony Bingham, were fantastic. I don’t think anyone would have realised that Mark was 19 and from the reserve grade. He played really well and put over some good kicks.
“I’m really happy with the way things are going and if we can progress from that next week, plus a couple of weeks to build some more, who knows what we will turn out with against Rochdale for the first game.”
A host of first-team players sat this one out, among them big names such as captain Rob Roberts and new signings Paul Highton, Andy Ballard and Wayne Kerr.
Oldham started the game strongly and opened the scoring through a try for a rejuvenated Lucas Onyango, who capitalised after Neil Roden’s kick to the corner went to ground.
The second try was the best of the game. Thomas Coyle, who buzzed around in the halves to good effect, made his second line break of the night and produced a lovely inside pass for Roden to rush in, with Smith converting both efforts.
Then Smith produced a terrific pass to send in new winger Lee Greenwood for a short-range try in the left corner after good running from David Allen, leaving the score at 16-0 at half-time.
Ed Barber, the strong second row forward who scored both the Giants’ tries, responded shortly after half-time when a high kick on the last caused confusion in the Roughyeds ranks, converting his own effort.
Oldham responded within two minutes, Craig Littler producing a neat ball for Onyango to work his way over on the right, before a flowing move across the field just before the hour mark ended with Gary Sykes issuing a pass for Greenwood to pick up his second.
Barber then scored and converted his own try before Bingham rounded off the scoring in a disjointed second half on 66 minutes.
“There was some good stuff there, mixed in with some average periods of play,” added Benson.
“All in all we come away happy, considering the ball work we have done.
“The stuff we have practised we did and scored from, and defensively we were strong — though on their first try it was a poor effort to get the kick.
“They were a young side so I am not reading too much into it, though they fought hard against us.”
Having nailed his colours to the mast of free-flowing, attractive rugby, Benson was also pleased to see five of the six tries arriving through the wingers.
“I was really happy with that and they weren’t just throwing it around, they were well-worked plays that came off,” he added.
“Some pretty immense skill was shown out there to score those tries.
“In saying that, we had to go forward first. It is easy to go ‘windscreen wiping’ from one side to the other but we didn’t do that.
“We worked for it first, made our space and then used it well.”
Oldham: O’Connor; Onyango, Littler, Reilly, Greenwood; Roden, T Coyle; Boults, Sykes, I’Anson, Robinson, Smith, Joseph. Subs: Halliwell, Sutton, Menzies, Coyle, McKay, Bingham, Allen.
Tries: Onyango 2, Roden, Greenwood 2, Bingham. Goals: Smith 2.
Huddersfield: Sampson; Johnson, Burton, Chappell, Griffiths; Glassell, Lloyd; Crouther, Parkinson, Walker, Fairbank, Barber, Worthington. Subs: Hodgson, Williams, Roberts, Khan, Brown, Barlow, Davies.
Tries: Barber 2. Goals: Barber 2.
Half-time: 16-0.
Attendance: 684
Referee: Matt Thomason (Warrington).
