Gillam stakes Oldham claim

JOHN Gillam’s three tries against Dewsbury Rams sent out a clear message to Oldham RL boss Tony Benson.

With the start of a crucial Championship One league programme less than two weeks away players are jockeying for places and coach Benson is looking constantly at his options.

When his injury list is cleared he will have four recognised wingers chasing two positions — Paul Ballard, Lucas Onyango, Sean Robinson and Gillam.

Throw utility back Mark Brocklehurst into the mix — and he top-scored last season with 17 tries in 23 games — and it will be any two from five.

Gillam clearly laid down a marker with a first-rate display in Oldham’s narrow 30-28 Northern Rail Cup defeat by a side from a higher division.

“He had a top game; it was good to see him back,” said Benson, who also referred to Robinson’s return to the side on the other wing and to Paul Noone’s first appearance of the season off the bench.

He added: “Robbo did well in his first game back, as did Noone in his first run-out this year.

“Paul was my player of the year in 2011. He is a big influence on the side. Typically, he made a valuable contribution off the bench which had a lot to do with how we got so much on top in the last 20 minutes.

“Even during that period when we were going 30-4 down, we did a lot of reasonable work, but we were hugely disadvantaged territorially because we gave away a lot of penalties and were pinned on our goal-line for long periods.

“We spoke at half-time about the need to play a lot more in their half of the pitch. It helped that we were playing downhill second half, but there was more to it than that. We finally got our fair share of the ball and we started to play like we know we can.”

Young centre Matthew Fogarty had to quit early in the second half with an ankle injury.

Michael Ward, another youngster who began the match in the second-row, showed his versatility by returning from the bench to take Fogarty’s place at left centre and to figure prominently in a fightback which was largely inspired by what was achieved on the left flank.

Fogarty’s injury will be assessed at training tomorrow night as Roughyeds get ready for their final Northern Rail encounter at Keighley Cougars on Sunday (3pm kick off).