Chief heaps praise on Heaton

ROUGHYEDS coach Tony Benson paid tribute to first-year professional Ben Heaton after the 19-year-old’s fairytale performance in a stunning victory at York City Knights.

Having been told after training on Saturday morning that he was in the starting line-up for the Co-operative Championship One final eliminator at the Huntington Stadium, the Rochdale-based youngster responded by setting Oldham on their way with a terrific solo try after only five minutes in only his second ever first team appearance.

Heaton (pictured above, scoring Oldham’s first try) was in the side as a result of injuries to centre pair Marcus St Hilaire and Craig Littler, but took to an unfamiliar role with relish, growing in confidence after his try to regularly burst through the defensive line during a 44-14 win which will live long in the memories of those who witnessed it.

“I said to (reserves coach) John Hough before the game, the most important thing for Ben was his first touch of the ball,” said Benson. “And that (the try) was it.

“He must have made three or four good breaks and was dangerous all the time.

“The other thing with Ben that people don’t realise is that it was his first ever game at centre as well. He’s a real prospect for the future.”

Benson now sets about preparing his squad for the play-off final against Keighley Cougars at Warrington on Sunday (kick off 3.05pm).

Tommy Goulden (hamstring), Paul Reilly (lower back), Martin Roden (ankle), Lucas Onyango (knee) and Phil Joseph (hamstring) will be looked at in training ahead of the promotion decider, the club’s third in three years.

“Keighley have beaten us twice this year so we have to be underdogs,” Benson added.

“But we don’t care — it doesn’t matter what they call us. We are just going there to win it.”

Tickets for the final were on sale from the club office on Lansdowne Road from 9.30am today.

Seated tickets are behind the posts in the East Stand, with standing in the South Stand opposite where the players emerge.

On open sale with no restrictions, prices for both standing and seating are £15 adults and £8 concessions, the latter catering for senior citizens over-65, juniors under-16 and students with valid ID.