Benson throws down the gauntlet

OLDHAM RL boss Tony Benson has challenged his players to show what they’re made of at Barrow on Sunday.

The table-topping Raiders have won promotion and are now gunning for the Championship One title.

Barring a miracle, Roughyeds will again be in tier three next year, but with four games to play and with London Skolars coming up on the rails, they need more wins to clinch a top-six play-off spot.

“We’ve still a lot to play for,” said Benson. “The challenge for us this week, after two wins in a row, is to see if we can move up to another level and get back to being the side we were in early season.”

Benson will take 19 players to Craven Park, including prop Luke Stenchion, who has played little rugby all season because of two long-term injuries.

The loss of dual-registered Daniel Smith back to Leeds, coupled with David Ellison’s ongoing work commitments, has significantly reduced Benson’s fire power in the front-row.

The squad comprises the 17 who played in the win in South Wales last time out, minus Smith but with the addition of Stenchion, full-back Miles Greenwood and the 18th man in Wales, Martin Roden.

On-loan winger Rob Foxen has been passed fit after groin trouble.










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