Cass axed by Roughyeds

ALL SMILES: Des Johnston (Barrow chairman, left) welcomes Oldham’s Bill Quinn to the Raiders game with Leigh.

MARK CASS has been sacked by the Roughyeds for gross misconduct in the latest blow to hit the crisis club.

The 37-year-old assistant coach, originally brought in to aid Steve Deakin prior to the start of last season, was not present as Dewsbury inflicted a 38-8 defeat on Oldham in Co-operative Championship One yesterday.

As is the norm with cases like this, no details of the misdemeanour are being put into the public domain by the club, though it has been described as a breach of club and RFL rules.

Elsewhere, Roughyeds owner Bill Quinn was present to watch a Barrow Raiders side featuring two of their four new Oldham recruits thrash Leigh 74-6 at Craven Park on Saturday night.

James Coyle, who came along to watch brother Thomas turn out for Oldham yesterday, scored four tries on his debut and Dave Allen featured from the bench for a side now coached by Deakin, who has also now brought in free agent and former Roughyeds captain Robert Roberts.

The last Oldham game that former chairman Quinn attended was the televised clash at York a month ago.

He was absent yesterday as depleted Oldham performed admirably despite losing for a fifth time this season, a result which sees York — who went down 20-8 at home to Hunslet, picking up a bonus point in defeat — leapfrog the Roughyeds to take third place in the table.

Andy Boothroyd made his Oldham debut yesterday after signing from Sheffield, initially on a month’s loan.

The former Batley hooker has had trouble regularly getting to training sessions in South Yorkshire due to work commitments and though he was willing to step into the breach at short notice yesterday, Oldham chief executive Chris Hamilton and coach Tony Benson will now sit him down to discuss his availability.

The duo will spend this week attempting to bring more players into the club ahead of Sunday’s derby game with Rochdale at Boundary Park.