You must be Kidding, ref

JASON Boults, the Oldham prop, protested his innocence after being sent off for the first time in his career in the Roughyeds' 40-24 defeat at Whitehaven yesterday.

Referee Matthew Kidd confirmed after the match that he had dismissed the former Bradford Bulls and Halifax front-row man near the end for alleged dissent.

Oldham were in possession of the ball, but Boults was nowhere near it when the match official suddenly blew play to a halt and waved Boults away to the dressing room.

A few minutes earlier Kidd had penalised the same player for a similar offence.

Boults (27) said later: "I did make a remark, but it wasn't directed at the referee, it was aimed at a Whitehaven player. I was shocked when he sent me off.

"I've never been off in 11 years as a professional and I like to think that's a pretty good disciplinary record."

The Oldham players had been promised a night off had they backed up Friday's win against Rochdale with another victory at the Recreation Ground.

"We didn't make it, so it will be training as usual," said coach Tony Benson, who will be anxiously checking on the progress of his walking wounded as he looks ahead to Sunday's home game against Doncaster.

Chris Clarke (shoulder), Marcus St Hilaire (calf), Matthew Fogarty (hamstring) and Andy Isherwood (shoulder) all missed yesterday's defeat in which Ben Wood was badly knocked about in a first-half collision. He was led from the field looking dazed, never to return.

Isherwood, hurt in the Rochdale game, is not as seriously injured as first feared, though his chances of being fit by weekend are said to be slim.

"I'm hoping the others will all be in with a shout," added Benson.