Hough earns coach’s praise

TONY BENSON has saluted Roughyeds reserve-team coach John Hough.

Speaking after the second string’s superb 20-16 triumph against Leigh Centurions — their seventh win in 10 outings in the Reserves Championship — Benson said the players were a credit to the club and to their coach.

Benson watched the second half after dashing to Golborne following first-team training at the Whitebank Stadium.

The Oldham coach said: “John should be very proud, and I have told him that. I saw the second half and his boys were well organised.

“They didn’t panic when they were behind, and they played as though they were enjoying themselves, which I believe is the most important thing of all.

“It was significant that in the last 20 minutes Leigh were all over the place because of injuries and cramps while our boys seemed to go stronger and stronger.

“The level of fitness within John’s squad is up to first-team standards and that is purely down to John, the work he did pre-season and the ongoing work that he and his squad put in right through the season.”