Benson looks to maintain progress

Tony Benson: hopeful of a good result for Roughyeds

TONY BENSON is fully expecting another tough battle at Barrow.

Oldham face their old adversaries at Craven Park on Sunday (2pm kick off) in a hastily-arranged friendly brokered between the Cumbrian club’s officials and Roughyeds chairman Bill Quinn.

While the game provides Benson’s first taste of what has become a compelling head-to-head between the two clubs over the past two seasons, he is fully aware of the quality that opposite number Dave Clark has at his disposal at the newly-promoted Championship club.

“Barrow were already a good side before they made their recent signings so it should be even tougher than it was last year against them,” said Benson, ahead of Oldham’s final pre-season test against the side who pipped them to promotion by a single point last season.

“Plus, it is always difficult to play them up there. They are hot right across the field. They have brought in Ned Catic, three Fjians and Andy Bracek, Paul Noone and Andy Brocklehurst who are three quality forwards.

“The objective for us is to carry on playing our type of game and to get better at it.

“We treat it as another training session. We have pretty much put out two different sides so far but they have come up with the same game, which is good. If we can do that three times in a row, then it shows that what we are doing works.

On the 28-20 defeat at Leigh last week, after watching the game again on DVD Benson is happier with what Oldham produced than he had been immediately after the final whistle.

“Looking back, what we did near their try line was effective and every time we were down there we looked threatening,” he added.

“We got out of our own territory well, our support play and pushing up we did well and defensively we were strong.

“We haven’t had a try scored against us out wide in two games and I am pleased with that.

“There is still room for improvement, in terms of being patient. But I don’t want to tether players.

“I want us to play attack, attack, attack — but at the same time, there are situations when we need to build pressure. If you look at our kick-and-chase, that let us down at times.”

Over the past two National League Two seasons, Oldham have enjoyed slightly the better of the encounters between the two well-matched sides.

Oldham have won three to Barrow’s two victories in that time, with the highest-profile of those clashes being the play-off final eliminator in 2007, in which Adam Hughes — later to switch to the Cumbrian club — scored a hat-trick.

Admission prices on Sunday have been set at £10 adults, £8 for senior citizens and £5 for juniors.