Hough welcomes selection problems

COACH John Hough will have tough decisions to make tonight when he selects his Oldham RL reserves side for Saturday's top-of-the-table clash with Leigh Centurions at the Whitebank Stadium (2.30pm kick off).

Including friendlies, second-placed Leigh are the only team in the Reserves Under-23s Championship which third-placed Oldham have not beaten at least once this season. The Roughyeds' last defeat was a 30-26 reverse at Leigh in May.

Since then, Hough's heroes have won six and drawn one of their seven matches, including a 28-22 away win against league leaders Widnes, their only defeat.

Hough has targeted four wins from four remaining games against Leigh and Dewsbury at home and Sheffield and Whitehaven away – and if that were to be achieved the Roughyeds would be guaranteed a second-place finish and a home play-off match.

Said Hough: "We've got a couple of injury doubts but, those apart, I'll be picking from a 21-man squad and I'll have some tough decisions to make. That's how I like it, and that's how it should be."

Winger Zac Cotton is doubtful with a shoulder injury, but possible replacements include Lewis Brookes and former Rochdale RU winger Danny Chetwynd, who has missed most of the season but recently returned to the club on completion of the academic year at Durham University. Also added to last week's squad are Phil Joy and Rob Spencer.

Team (from): Nield, Cotton, Williams, Brearley, Bridge, Brookes, Chetwynd, Dallimore, Connick, Eyres, Hughes, Gilchrist, Dean, Knight, Thomson, Whitmore, Wood-Hulme, Langtree, Barber, Joy, Spencer.