Benson seeking a settled line-up

PAUL NOONE

ROUGHYEDS coach Tony Benson is hopeful he won’t have to make any in-game adjustments as his side bids to overtake Doncaster in the Co-operative Championship One table on Sunday (3pm kick-off).

A facial injury to Ben Wood early in the dramatic 18-16 defeat at Swinton Lions a week ago meant having to reshuffle the ever-troubled back-line once again.

All best-laid plans went by the wayside for the umpteenth time in a difficult season.

But the spirit shown in so nearly claiming a first defeat of the season for the Lions at the Willows bodes well for what is likely to be another difficult on-the-road test at the Keepmoat Stadium.

“Every time we get something approaching a full team out onto the pitch, we seem to go fine,” said Benson, who is hunting down a fifth league victory of the season.

“But what has been happening is, we have been training as a team all week and then losing a couple of players to injury.

“The knock-on effect is that we than have to change things around again at short notice and play people in positions they haven’t trained to play in.

“Ben Wood got injured straight away at Swinton which meant Mark Brocklehurst coming over to left centre, Matthew Fogarty shifting to the wing and Paul Noone moving from second row to centre. None had trained in those positions.”

Towards the end of the game, Oldham erroneously thought only a minute left but still had time to produce attacking kicks on three occasions.

It is pure speculation to suggest that better results could have arrive had the ball been kept in hand for longer, but what is beyond doubt is that the result left Benson feeling short-changed.

“It was a pretty good effort from us but we know our attack could have been better and we went out to win the game,” he said.

“We worked hard to that effect so to not come out on top was very disappointing.”

It is the second time in a month that Oldham have faced the Dons, claiming the spoils at the Whitebank Stadium in early May with a 46-24 victory.

But Benson isn’t expecting an easy ride from a team entering the clash on the back of an excellent 34-32 win at Workington.

“They have have enjoyed a couple of good results, pushing Keighley to within four points and winning at Workington,” he added.

“I don’t think the team that played at the Whitebank will be the same one that shows up at their place.”


ROUGHYEDS reserves won 35-24 at Keighley last night, scoring six tries by Lewis Brookes (two), Jamie Dallimore (two), Dave Cookson and Alistair Williams.
Dallimore took his personal points tally in the game to 19 by kicking five goals and a drop goal.

New-boy Bruce Johnson made his debut off the bench and came through with flying colours.