Benson delight at ‘work in progress’

PLOUGHING FORWARD: Oldham’s Neil Rigby shows aggression and desire to break through the Saints defence.

OLDHAM 28, ST HELENS 18
OLDHAM RL coach Tony Benson was delighted after watching his side claim a highly-impressive 28-18 victory over a St Helens side boasting the likes of Ade Gardner, Josh Perry and Chris Flannery in a pre-season friendly at Whitebank.

Great Britain and England international Gardner and State of Origin veterans Flannery and Perry showed glimpses of their class but it was not enough to stop their determined and mobile hosts in front of 305 fans who braved the cold weather.

Ex-Waterhead junior Danny Yates was also handed a starting role at scrum-half by the visitors, and he was joined by forward Joe Greenwood, who came through the ranks at Saddleworth Rangers.

Benson said: "I feel we coped very well with everything St Helens threw at us throughout the course of the game.

"We were in an arm wrestle with them a lot of the time and it is fair to say we came out on top.

"None of our players appeared to be overawed by the occasion and the fact a number of internationals were in the Saints team, and from the word go we looked good.

"In the build-up to this fixture we worked mainly on defence and that part of our game was bang on.

“There is lots to be done in an attacking sense but we still have a few weeks until the business end kicks in.

"This is obviously a work in progress because some of the lads have only played once since the start of pre-season, but fitness-wise the match was massively beneficial."

Two-try John Gillam caught his coach's eye, posing a constant threat to the Super League outfit down the wing.

"John had a really good game. He was strong and full of energy," added Benson.

"Dave Cookson and Matthew Fogarty worked so hard at centre and Jason Boults and Chris Clarke were outstanding.

"I think we needed the win for morale. I was pretty disappointed to draw in the first friendly at Whitehaven. There was big improvement against a strong, enthusiastic Saints team and we take plenty of encouragement from that."

Benson's side were gifted the lead with six minutes on the clock when Adam Swift was guilty of a glaring handling error.

Fogarty capitalised and crossed down the left, with Jamie Dallimore adding the extras.

Saints responded well, but failed to carve their way through resolute resistance at the other end.

And their woes deepened after 27 minutes. New signing Miles Greenwood, the former Halifax full-back, skipped past two would-be challenges to touch down.

Dallimore's attempted conversion floated narrowly wide, with Oldham 10-0 to the good.

The away outfit were stung into action and just four minutes later they narrowed the gap. Mark Percival broke forward and fed Nathan Ashe, who crashed over before Percival goaled for Saints.

The Roughyeds would have been happy to reach the half-time interval without conceding again but it was Benson's men who struck next.

Seconds before the break Percival dropped the ball and the player who received it, star man Gillam, ran half the length of the pitch down the left channel and proved too fast for the chasing pack. Dallimore again did the honours to make it 16-6 to Oldham.

Saints came out in a higher gear after the restart. Eight minutes into the second period Josh Jones found a gap and forced his way over, with Percival converting.

It became a more open encounter and on the hour mark Jack Reid's clever kick fell kindly to Gillam, who jumped on the ball to increase the lead. Dallimore's kick was successful for Roughyeds.

Saints weren't giving up and just a few minutes later Ashe found Percival on the counter.

Percival crashed over and added the extras himself to move the away team to within four points of their opponents.

That try ensured it was a nervy climax to the game for Roughyeds, but John Clough made sure of the victory a minute before the end, touching down 10 yards to the right of the sticks.

That man Dallimore goaled to give his side breathing space.