Whitmore accolade

DANNY Whitmore, Oldham's young hooker, will go into Sunday's big game against Blackpool Panthers at Whitebank buoyed by his trophy-winning performance in the Roughyeds' 28-16 win at Workington.

He received the Ike Southward Memorial Trophy for his outstanding dummy-half play on the same Derwent Park pitch that Southward graced so majestically in the 1950s and 1960s.

Whitmore had a hand in all five tries and proved lively around the rucks.

The 21-year-old former Waterhead junior became the first Oldham winner of the trophy, which was originally put up by Workington four years ago to commemorate their former wing star, who also played for Oldham and Great Britain.

"I was really pleased to get it, but to be honest, I had never heard of Ike Southward," said Danny.

“I guess he must have been an exceptional player. I told Chris (Hamilton, chairman) that I didn't have a clue so he told me all about him."