Another test of spirit for Roughyeds

DOUBTS remain over whether the Roughyeds have enough manpower to go all the way and gain promotion through the play-offs — but few will now question the desire within the squad to do just that.

The 31-26 win over Swinton at Boundary Park last week was full of thrills and spills, with exciting tries and awful mistakes aplenty.

In the end, it is fair to say that Tony Benson’s men got through to this weekend’s Co-operative Championship One elimination semi-final at home to Hunslet (3pm kick off) on pure guts, defending for their lives despite furious late pressure from a Lions side performing as well as it had done all season.

The final outcome leaves Oldham now needing three consecutive victories, finishing off with the play-off final at Warrington on Sunday, October 4, to go up.

That is a tough task given that against the other three contenders — Keighley, York and Hunslet — the Roughyeds have only won one of six league matches.

That came away at the South Leeds Stadium at the start of March, with even that 32-14 triumph against the Hawks arriving thanks in no small part to the efforts of the ‘famous five’ now playing for Barrow.

However, while some supporters felt that, prior to the departure of those players, the Roughyeds were underachieving, that impression has been wiped away thanks to the effort levels put in since to overcome adversity.

Following the 38-8 defeat at Dewsbury, which came only days after the bombshell not only of the high-profile departures but also the sacking of assistant coach Mark Cass, Oldham have responded in the right way.

In isolation, the results since don’t appear particularly impressive: three wins over Hornets RL, London Skolars and Swinton, a draw at Blackpool and a pair of defeats to play-off rivals York and Sunday’s opponents Hunslet.

But the spirit shown in that period confirmed that the few players who are left are prepared to do everything they can to tilt tight matches Oldham’s way.

There have been a number of good individual performers lately, but two in particular have stood out.

Chris Baines missed a late goal against the Lions but his kicking since recently taking on the duty has been magnificent. The club’s official player of the month for August, Baines has also performed with typical determination in the second row all year.

Another man who wasn’t expected to be a key figure at the start of the season, yet has developed into exactly that, is Lucas Onyango. Always a fans’ favourite, the winger has scored tries in each of his last four appearances and is hitting peak form just at the right time.

Oldham have beaten Hunslet twice in league and cup this year before losing 36-18 away in the final game of the regular season two weeks ago.

The Hawks got to this stage thanks to a 21-18 play-off win at Blackpool, with stand-off Josh Weeden — a real thorn in the side of the Roughyeds two weeks ago — dropping a goal four minutes from time to edge his team ahead for the first time in the game.

Darren Robinson, a Roughyeds signing in the new club’s first season, added a late penalty for good measure.