Carey delight after Roughyeds cup cruise

by Ryan Booth

Roughyeds assistant coach Pete Carey was delighted with the level of professionalism Oldham’s players displayed during their 42-0 Challenge Cup triumph over NCL 1 side Featherstone Lions at the Vestacare Stadium. 

In addition to Danny Langtree’s brace, tries from Zak McComb, Ben West, Phil Joy, David Eccleston and Danny Bridge ensured Oldham ran out deserved winners from a contest that was fiery throughout.

“From our point of view it was about keeping our discipline and making sure we produced a real structured performance,” said Carey.

“It was about getting through the game injury free and without getting drawn into anything which is always difficult against an amateur side.

“It’s their big day and it’s almost like a trip to Wembley, they’re going into it with nothing to lose whereas we had to try and keep everyone on the pitch.

“It was a really physical game, but the lads showed really good levels of discipline despite taking some really high shots, you could see we looked the more professional side throughout in everything that we did.”

Although Oldham had established an 18-0 lead at the half-time interval, Carey revealed head coach Scott Naylor and the rest of the management team felt changes needed to be made in order to improve the hosts’ display.

“We changed it around a bit at half time just because we felt it was a little bit too easy for them to read our plays in the first half,” Carey added.

“It was about the players following what we’d asked of them and I think in the second half things worked better for us.”

While the scoreline suggests otherwise, Carey was quick to praise Featherstone’s never-say-die attitude.

“Credit has to go them because they never gave in at all, they’ve come here and given everything they can,” said Carey.

“I just think that little bit of skill and fitness paid off in the end, playing at a different level and the pitch we’ve got here now makes the game really fast which suited us really.

“They gave 110-per-cent which is a credit to themselves.”

Meanwhile, Carey also revealed that Adam Jones suffered a minor concussion during the clash, the former Swinton man wasn’t reintroduced to the action as more of a precaution rather than there being a serious concern.

SEASON tickets for the coming Betfred League 1 campaign can be collected from the Oldham RLFC office at the Vestacare Stadium this week.

Daily collection times are as follows:

Today, 11 am to 3pm; Tuesday, 9.30am to 3pm; Wednesday, 9.30am to 3pm; Thursday, 9.30am to 3pm; Friday, 9.30am to 3pm.

Supporters need to produce their payment receipt or their on-line confirmation.

For telephone inquiries ring 07904 898177.

The first of 13 home league games in the regular season is against Hemel Stags at the Vestacare Stadium on Sunday, March 4 (kick-off 3pm) followed seven days later, on Sunday, March 11, by the visit of highly-rated York City Knights, also kicking off at 3pm.