Recovery pleases Benson

CONCERN: Oldham’s medical team attend to Jacob Kinney.

TONY BENSON admitted it was a proverbial game of two halves as the Roughyeds lost the Law Cup to rivals Hornets RL.

The below-strength visitors stumbled to a 26-0 deficit in an opening period characterised by sloppy ball control, but pulled up their socks after the break to restore some pride at the Mayfield Sports Centre, a recovery which pleased Benson.

He said: “The first half was difficult and there were some really weak tries scored, which was disappointing as a team.

“Some players were working extremely hard in making a lot of tackles and others were standing off.

“You look through the team and it was a lot of players’ first games with the team after one training session.

“There wasn’t going to be a lot of cohesion and we didn’t have a lot of ball because of it and did a lot of tackling.

“At half-time we had a talk about it and set out to win the second half.

“We couldn’t do a lot about what had gone before once it was over and I think we played a different game, which I was much happier with.”

The game was played out by a young Roughyeds side, with Benson keen to keep his strongest side fresh for the opening Northern Rail Cup pool game away at Leigh on Sunday.

Losing two players, Luke Rhoden (dislocated knee) and Jacob Kinney (concussion and suspected broken nose) during the derby clash, Benson heaped praise on a number of other young players like loose forward Scott Mansfield.

“I don’t think you could ask that of a player week-in, week-out,” said Benson of Mansfield’s efforts.

“He had made 23 tackles by half-time and I don’t think he missed any. They were all good, strong tackles too and he was there every time to hit the ball up as well.

“He ran himself into the ground and Mark Brocklehurst was the same.

“Jack Graves was much improved, Ben Mellor started to get his game together in his first run in a long time and there were some good glimpses from Mark Cadd too.”

Marcus St Hilaire, who felt his calves tightening during the game, is a major doubt for the trip to Leigh.