Benson sets sights on new target for Roughyeds

Tony Benson: "They'll be up for this one"

TONY Benson is predicting a rough ride from Rochdale tonight (7.45pm kick off).

Four days after the proud new Roughyeds coach saw his team produce a superb first-day effort to defeat Widnes — a performance of such significance and impact, it prompted the Vikings to fire coach Steve McCormack one game into the season — he is faced with a task that is every bit as difficult.

Namely, following it up.

With Rochdale having performed admirably against Barrow, Benson will do his utmost to make sure his side are once again at the very top of their game at Boundary Park, in order to secure another three points in the quest for Northern Rail Cup qualification.

"It was Rochdale's first hit-out, so I would expect a massive improvement in their next game," Benson (pictured, above) warned, after a game in which the Hornets restricted the visitors to a 16-12 half-time lead, before the Cumbrians ultimately triumphed 54-12.

"As we know from the pre-season game we played up there, Barrow are a good, physical side and will wear most teams down as a game draws on.

"We will have to be ready for Rochdale and there is no question that they will be even more up for this one with it being a local derby."

After going eight games without a win against the Hornets in all competitions, including the Law Cup, Oldham's recent record against their local rivals has been positive.

Since losing the Law Cup encounter at the start of last season, the Roughyeds lost only of one their next five meetings with Rochdale. That sequence culminated in a 38-14 home win in the 2008 play-offs, in which Oldham were forced to overturn a 14-12 deficit.

Since then, a huge amount of activity has taken place at the turbulent Spotland-based club. The old company, formed back in 1871, entered administration after a winding-up order was issued by the High Court for an unpaid tax bill of £55,000.

Facing a race against time to get any deal completed in order to take their place in the Northern Rail Cup, a group of fans has since formed a supporters' co-operative to get a professional rugby club in the town — one that now bears the official title of Rochdale Hornets Rugby Football League Club Society Limited, or Hornets RL for short — successfully up and running.

It is a testament to the faith shown in coach Darren Shaw that so many players elected to stick around and wait for contract offers rather than go elsewhere as the old club entered limbo.

On paper, the squad remains strong. There is a classy half-back pairing of Martin Ainscough and Martin Gambles, now strengthened by the signing of former Roughyeds man Chris Hough, moving the side around the pitch behind an experienced pack featuring more ex-Oldham men in David Best, Ian Sinfield and Martin McLoughlin, plus plenty of pace and skill in the backs.

The main issue, given that they have had no pre-season games, is likely to be the fact that the team is now being asked to play twice inside four days.

"You have to admire the quality of the squad that Rochdale have put together, especially so late in the day," said Benson. "There are no teams in the competition that you can afford to take lightly and Rochdale are no different.

"At the same time, we are focusing on ourselves.

"The challenge after the Widnes game is to now get up for a different type of game and back up the level of performance we put in.

"Our kicking game over there was very good, as was the consistency in everyone's efforts.

"We got the small things right as well. We got plenty of quick play-the-balls while also slowing theirs down, while the determination and tenacity shown in defence was excellent. We just never let up and played a clever game."

An Oldham victory tonight will take them to the top of Northern Rail Cup group one and needing, in all probability, just one more victory from two games to finish in the top four and claim a quarter-finals place.