Selection poser for Oldham boss

OLDHAM’S rugby Championship One play-off match at Rochdale Hornets on Sunday will provide Roughyeds boss Tony Benson with a selection headache.

Full-back Ben Heaton, scrum-half Carl Forber and centre Mark McCully didn’t play in yesterday’s superb 24-20 win at Workington, but all three should be fit for the sudden-death derby at Spotland.

Shaun Robinson switched from wing to fill in for Heaton; Jamie Dallimore made his second senior appearance at half-back; Matthew Fogarty had a blinder in the centre; and John Gillam was back on the left wing for the first time in eight weeks.

“Everybody played well,” said Benson, “and the difficult thing for me now will be to select a side to go to Rochdale.

“It will be a huge game. Our three previous wins against them this year will count for nothing. In every game we have had to work hard to get on top of them and Sunday’s showdown will be no different.”

Added chairman Chris Hamilton: “Hornets will be out to avenge previous defeats, but the tie is all about us. If we turn up well switched on we will be in with a big shout of going through.

“Ours was a great win at Workington against a big, physical side. It was stirring stuff from 1 to 17 and nothing less will do at Rochdale.”

The club’s medical staff will be checking on a few knocks picked up in a Derwent Park bruiser, notably to Fogarty (elbow) and to prop Jason Boults, who had to be replaced in the second half with what appeared to be a chest or shoulder problem.

Fogarty left the field for a time, but he returned later with the elbow strapped.