Oldham pitch in with small talk

ALL ABOARD . . . Martin Roden (far right) representated Oldham Roughyeds at the launch of the 2011 Northern Rail Cup in Halifax.

OLDHAM Roughyeds are thinking small this weekend — in order to achieve a big result.

Promoted Hunslet Hawks provide the first opposition of the competitive 2011 season for Tony Benson’s side on Sunday at the Whitebank Stadium (3pm kick-off).

The first of four Northern Rail Cup ties in a brutally tough draw for Oldham, the Hawks will have happy memories of the venue.

Player-coach Paul March’s men hammered the Roughyeds 60-4 in only the club’s third game on their new field in 2010.

Last year’s winners of Championship One were more than used to the tight dimensions, regularly experiencing similar conditions at their South Leeds Stadium base.

But having experimented to good effect in pre-season, Benson thinks his side will have a better idea of how to combat the visitors’ threat this time around.

“I would have rather faced a couple of other sides around our level,” said Benson, reflecting on a series of pool matches which also includes tests against Halifax (away, February 13) Swinton (away, February 20) and Whitehaven (home, February 27).

“But it is a good test for us and the good thing is, we go into it with a bit more confidence after beating Whitehaven 50-0 in a friendly.

”What we have done is changed the team every week, but in doing so we haven’t lost anything.

“Taking players off and bringing others on hasn’t made any difference and from one to 25, there is a good level.

“As far as we go, I think we are better prepared for Hunslet than we have ever been.

“In particular, playing on our pitch at the Whitebank Stadium.

“They play on the smallest pitch in the competition and are used to it — whereas last year, it was one of our first games on it.

“We hadn’t really thought it through, but we have had time to work on it now to develop a game that suits our pitch.”

A host of new boys have impressed both coach and supporters alike in the build-up to the new season.

“Ben Wood has gone well and Andy Isherwood has been very strong, week-in, week-out,” Benson added.

“With Micky Diveney, he is starting to show what he can do.

“Ben Heaton at full-back has been a revelation. Ben has put on a lot of size and he is talking a lot on the field, which was his downfall last year.

“In the front row, Luke Sutton has had the chance to have a full off-season as opposed to last year where he came in late. He has taken it by storm and is certainly leading the pack.

“And then out of the blue came Tom Wood-Hulme and his actions speak for themself. He is a human wrecking machine.”

March, doubtful with a back injury, took his squad to the Army camp at Catterick last weekend for two days of intense training and team bonding.

On Oldham, March said: “We embarrassed them a bit at Whitebank last season and they’ll want to put a few things right.

“Tony (Benson) will have them fired up and we need to be on our guard. We’ve got to do a professional job, if we do that, the result should take care of itself.