Reserves ready and raring to go

matthew fogarty . . . set to make Roughyeds reserve-team debut.

FULL-BACK Steven Nield, ex-Saddleworth and St Helens academy, is among a dozen young newcomers in a 21-strong Oldham RL reserves squad to face Dewsbury Rams at the Whitebank Stadium tomorrow (7.45pm).

Only nine of the 21 were at Roughyeds last year — a measure of the club’s desire to spot talent in a constantly-trundling conveyor belt of young hopefuls.

Nield (20) is joined in the squad by two more former Saddleworth men in centre Matthew Fogarty and winger Shaun Robinson, but of the new signings for this season these are the only Oldhamers.

“We’ve put in a lot of hard work on recruitment,” said coach John Hough. “Most of the out-of-town lads are from west Lancashire, but we’ve also signed a Yorkshireman, Tom Crosby.

“We’ve had a long pre-season. Now, the boys are itching to get out on the pitch.”

Crosby (21), a prop, had a big season last year in the Hunslet Hawks reserve team, picking up player-of-the-year and players’ player-of-the-year awards.

Winger Terry Bridge, stand-off Jamie Dallimore and centre Adam Hunt are from Wigan St Cuthbert’s, while props Matty Barber and Mark Thomas come from Crosfields (Warrington) and Eccles respectively.

Hooker Alex Thompson and loose-forward Chris Dean were at Warrington Wolves last year, while Danny Langtree (20), a second-row man, was once of St Helens.

The nine who were here last year are Alistair Williams, Tommy Connick, Jamie Knight, Michael Ward, Michael Cadd, Austen Barrowclough, Ben Marsden, Lewis Brookes and Mark Smith.

The squad have been training at Radclyffe Athletics Centre and they will soon start using the pool and other facilities at Chadderton Wellbeing Centre as part of Oldham Community Leisure’s partnership with the Roughyeds on kit sponsorship.

Greentree Lettings of Oldham have also linked up with Roughyeds on kit and other sponsorships.