Oldham Reserves
24th JULY 2008
OLDHAM RESERVES v WIDNES RESERVES TONIGHT – MATCH PREVIEW
ANTHONY Bingham, the young full-back who made a big impression early in the season, will be back in the Oldham Reserves side tonight when they take on Widnes Vikings at Sedgley Park (kick-off 7.30pm).
He went off to play American Football in Germany, but there is a mid-season break over there so Anthony will play for the Roughyeds second team in their two -- or maybe three -- remaining games of the season.
Tonight's game at Sedgley Park could be the last home game of the season because it isn't yet known whether the home match against Workington -- postponed by them on July 5 because they couldn't raise a team --- will be rearranged or not. The only other remaining match is Barrow away on Saturday, August 9.
Also back tonight will be Mohammed Tamghart, Said's brother, who played his first trial against Barrow a fortnight ago, but then missed the game at Featherstone last week because he was back in France.
Newcomer Michael Arrowsmith, a 17-year-old back-row forward from St Anne's, is also in line for a debut, but it isn't yet known whether Phil Jagger will be free to play. He was suspended for three games by the RFL disciplinary committee. He has served two of those games but whether he can play tonight will depend on whether the postponed Workington match will count towards the ban.
17th JULY 2008
FEATHERSTONE RESERVES 52 v OLDHAM RESERVES 6 – MATCH REPORT
Torn apart by injuries, holidays, suspension and BARLA commitments, the Oldham Reserves were beaten 52-6 by Featherstone last night at the Chris Moyles Stadium.
The Oldham squad consisted of 15 players only, including Coach John Hough and his assistant, Leo Casey, who turned back the clock to come off the bench. How ironic then that Houghie dislocated a finger and Leo broke his nose.
Dale Lowe scored the Oldham try and Ethan Langhorn kicked the goal, but Rovers were already on their way to victory at half time when they led 24-6.
By all accounts Featherstone had four senior players on duty against an Oldham side that had to go into battle bravely without the suspended Phil Jagger; the on-tour duo from Warrington, Fisher and Smith; the injured Dwaine Nelson; two or three who were on holiday; Mohammed Tamghart, who is back home in France for ten days; and prop Luke Sutton, who has now joined the first-team squad.
The Reserves next game is against Widnes Vikings at Sedgley Park on Thursday next week, July 24, with a 7.30pm kick off.
14th JULY 2008
LATEST NEWS – MATCH VERSUS FEATHERSTONE NOW THIS WEDNESDAY
The Reserves will be in action again this WEDNESDAY night (7.30pm kick off) against Featherstone at the Chris Moyles Stadium. The game was originally scheduled for Thursday, but it has been brought forward to Wednesday so it will not clash with the Roughyeds' big night out at Boundary Park on Thursday
12th JULY 2008
OLDHAM RESERVES 16 v BARROW RESERVES 27 – MATCH REPORT
Fielding a side that was hit by injury, suspension and a lack of senior-squad representation, a young Oldham Reserves team was beaten 27-16 by Barrow at Sedgley Park on Saturday.
Not only did John Hough's boys go into the game without any first-teamers, but they also lacked the services of prop Luke Sutton, who had played well for the seniors on debut at Barrow the previous night.
To add to the problems the game was only nine minutes old when centre Dwaine Nelson was carried off, never to return, with a serious ankle injury. He was hobbling around on crutches after the game and was heading to hospital for x-rays.
Said Houghie: "Due to circumstances beyond our control -- injuries, lads away on tour, suspension and no first-team presence --- we were really low on numbers, and then Dwaine's injury added to the problems. However, the boys competed strongly and in the circumstances I was proud of their performance."
Martin Elswood was in for his second game, and his home debut, at second-row, while Mohammed Tamghart, Said's youngest brother, played his first trial game for the club at right centre. Both came through well, Elswood showing up well in the forwards and Tamghart imposing himself on the game in the threequarters.
The young Frenchman had a hand in all three tries. His offload under pressure set up position from which young prop Ryan Jackson squeezed in for the first Oldham try. He scored the second himself, getting on the back of some impressive approach play by Chris Clarke, David Orwell and Michael Ward to crash over.
Tamghart and Orwell also combined to set up the third Oldham try for winger Ward, who finished well in the corner to crown a fine individual performance. Ethan Langhorn completed Oldham's scoring with two goals.
Barrow led only 10-8 at half time, but they scored three second-half tries to Oldham's two to finish comfortable winners against a Roughyeds side in which loose-forward Chris Clarke again showed considerable promise. "He had another terrific game, and he is playing like that week in and week out," said a delighted Houghie.
Team: Heaton; Ward, Tamghart, Nelson, Burns; Langhorn, Lowe; Jackson, Mansfield, W Schofield, Orwell, Elswood, Clarke. Subs: Eyres, G Schofield, Wildman, Toft.
7h JULY 2008
OLDHAM RESERVES v WORKINGTON RESERVES – MATCH CANCELLED
ROUGHYEDS have apologised today to any supporters who travelled to Sedgley Park on Saturday only to find the Reserves match against Workington had been called off.
"We did all we could to inform as many people as possible," said chief executive Chris Hamilton, "but the game was called off by Workington because they couldn't raise a team and we didn't get the telephone call ourselves until 10.45 on Saturday morning."
News of the call-off was given out on the Roughyeds website at www.roughyeds.co.uk and also on the message board, while it was also announced on Oldham Community Radio (99.7 FM) thanks to the speedy assistance of Dave McGealy. An appeal also went out asking supporters who had heard the news to pass it around among fellow fans.
"We did the best we could in the circumstances," added Mr Hamilton, "but we do apologise to fans who were inconvenienced, while pointing out that it was something that was beyond our control."
5th JULY 2008
OLDHAM RESERVES v WORKINGTON RESERVES – MATCH CANCELLED
Today's scheduled game between Oldham Roughyeds Reserves and Workington at Sedgeley Park is postponed. The club have just been contacted by Workington who cannot raise a team.
Hopefully, the fixture will be rearranged for later in the season.
4th JULY 2008
OLDHAM RESERVES v WORKINGTON RESERVES – MATCH PREVIEW
MALIK TAMGHART TO MAKE DEBUT
Said Tamghart's youngest brother Mohammed -- better known as Malik --- is almost certain to play for Oldham's Reserve team against Workington Town at Sedgley Park tomorrow (Saturday), kicking off at 2.30pm.
"I am not in a position to name the team yet, but I would say Mohammed is 99 per cent certain to make his Oldham debut in the centre," said Coach John Hough this morning.
Malik, who is 21, has been training with Roughyeds for the past few days and he trained with the Reserves last night as they prepared to make it three wins in a row, having won their last two matches against Featherstone Rovers at Sedgley Park and Hunslet Hawks at the South Leeds Stadium.
Workington are bottom of the league, but they beat Oldham at Derwent Park a few weeks ago and Houghie's boys will be keen to avenge that reverse.
Added John: "We've five games left, and we are targeting some more wins. There are ten points available and on the back of our last three performances ---- one defeat in the last minute, followed by two wins --- we hope to climb the table significantly.
"We've set our sights on a top-half finish and if we can do that in our very first season I think we will have done very well indeed."
Houghie and his No 2, Leo Casey, hope supporters will turn up in numbers tomorrow to give the side encouragement after their two wins and to witness the progress the team has made in recent weeks.
A lot of fans may not be able to make the long trip to Workington on Sunday to watch the first team so that might help to swell the attendance at Sedgley Park.
2nd JULY 2008
LATEST NEWS – PHIL JAGGER SUSPENDED – MISSES WORKINGTON MATCH
LATEST FROM THE RL DISCIPLINARY --- Phil Jagger, the young Reserves forward, received a three-match ban by the RFL disciplinary committee in Leeds last night following his dismissal for a head-butt in the recent home game against Hunslet Hawks. He was accompanied to the meeting by the club's chief executive Chris Hamilton.
The first game Jagger will miss will be this Saturday's home game against Workington Town which takes place at Sedgley Park, kicking off at 2.30pm.
Having won their last two games against Featherstone Rovers at Sedgley Park and Hunslet Hawks at the South Leeds Stadium, John Hough's boys will be out to make it a winning hat-trick. Having spent most of the season at the foot of the table, this new team has now climbed above Workington and has set its sights on making further progress up the league ladder in the remaining games of the campaign.
1st JULY 2008
RESERVES LADS HELP OUT AT OLDHAM CARNIVAL
ROARY the Roughyeds, our popular mascot, is fast becoming a 'mane about town'. The Oldham Carnival was just up his street -- a chance to mix and mingle with the crowds and help all the club volunteers on the day to collect money for the Genesis Appeal, one of the club's two official charities for the next 12 months.
The club had a lively float in the Carnival, headed by Roary who was assisted in fund collecting by players Gareth Langley, Simeon Hoyle, together with Will Schofield, Dale Lowe and Chris Clarke from the Reserves team
The girls from Genesis were there, as were numerous Roughyeds fans, among them Janet, who works full time at the club and needs no introduction, George and Adam, Reece and Ellis, Nathan and Samantha, Dave who was taking the pictures and Larissa and Natalie. Apologies to anyone whose name has been overlooked.
Roughyeds wish to thank all those who helped on the day, including Dave Taylor at TTX for supplying the lorry and driver; Greg's Discount Store for supplying the give-aways; and Dave Murgatroyd for taking the pictures
30th JUNE 2008
HUNSLET RESERVES 12 v OLDHAM RESERVES 22 – MATCH REPORT
Roughyeds Reserves put in a sterling second-half performance at the South Leeds Stadium last Friday night to beat Hunslet 22-12 and pick up their second win in a row.
Centre Steven Fisher scored two tries and full-back Ben Heaton and substitute Gareth Schofield also crossed the Hawks line, while stand-off Mark Smith landed two conversions and a last-minute penalty goal.
Oldham had trailed 12-4 early in the second half, but they finished the game significantly stronger than their opponents who were outclassed once Roughyeds hit their best form in the last half hour of the match.
By scoring 18 unanswered points from the 55th minute, John Hough's men finished worthy winners and will now be chasing their third league win of the campaign -- and their third in a row -- when they play Workington Town at Sedgley Park on Saturday afternoon, kick-off 2.30pm.
Daryl Cardiss, beginning his comeback after a four-month absence following shoulder surgery, played the first half hour at right centre and was then taken off in readiness for the first-team game a couple of days later.
Simon Baldwin, returning after illness, led from the front and, in his second spell in the second half, led the charge which ultimately took Roughyeds from 12-4 down to worthy winners. His vast experience came in handy when running off Smith's inside ball and sending in Heaton for the try that put Roughyeds in front for the first time in the 58th minute.
Martin Elswood, playing his first game for two and a half seasons, did well considering he had been out of the game for so long. It was only natural that he should be toiling a little bit in the second half, but he showed plenty of nice touches; he worked hard in defence; and he will clearly go better with each game he plays, there being no real substitute for game time.
Smith and Dale Lowe were influential half-backs, while in the forwards Luke Sutton continued to make progress and there were some eye0-catching touches from back-row forwards Phil Jagger, Chris Clarke and David Orwell.
Lowe and Heaton sent in Fisher for the only Oldham try of the first half, but when Hunslet went 12-4 up in the 48th minute with their third try, there was little hint of the transformation that was to come over the game.
Fisher scored his second direct from a scrum and that was the signal for Oldham to get a roll on with Baldwin twice going clear down the middle of Smith's astute distribution. The second time led to Heaton's try, goaled by Smith for a 14-12 lead.
The next try would be crucial and it went to Oldham when Lowe's perhaps fortuitous crosskick landed in the arms of Gareth Schofield, who raced to the corner for a try which Smith goaled beautifully from wide out. In the last minute he added a penalty, and the job was done.
It was revealed later that assistant coach Leo Casey had challenged the boys to score 20 points in the second half. They fell short by two, but Leo wasn't complaining. "After an ordinary first half, it was a job well done," he said.
Head coach Houghie said: "In the first half we were not smart enough, but the boys responded to our half-time talk and thereafter played much smarter. In the second half we defended well and did everything else right. We must now maintain this form and this momentum to carry it into Saturday's home game with Workington at Sedgley Park."
Oldham scorers: goals, Smith (3); tries, Fisher (2), Heaton, G Schofield.
Team: Heaton; Ward, Cardiss, Fisher, Nelson; Smith, Lowe; Baldwin, Mansfield, Sutton, Elswood, Jagger, Clarke. Subs: Jackson, W Schofield, Orwell, G Schofield.
27th JUNE 2008
HUNSLET RESERVES v OLDHAM RESERVES – MARTIN ELSWOOD RE-SIGNS & PLAYS TONIGHT
MARTIN Elswood, the former Oldham forward who quit the sport two and a half seasons ago, has come out of premature retirement in a bid to resurrect his Roughyeds career.
Still only 24, he has been training with the Roughyeds for the past week or two and he will play in the Reserves at Hunslet tonight (7.30pm kick off), having signed a contract to play at that level. The agreement runs to November.
The local lad, who signed as a boy for Huddersfield Giants, spent 2004 and 2005 with Oldham -- the first year under Steve Molloy when he made 21 senior appearances (mainly off the bench) in a side that finished fourth in NL1 and the second year under Gary Mercer when he played 15 games when Roughyeds finished seventh in NL1.
At the end of that season he settled for early retirement, putting family and business commitments -- he works for the family firm, F R Elswood (Ceilings and Partitions) Ltd, regular backers and sponsors of the club -- ahead of his sporting interests.
Nearly three years on, however, he has regained the urge to get out his rugby boots and have a go, and he will test out the water in the Reserves for the remainder of this season to see where it takes him in terms of a move up to the senior squad next year.
Said Martin: "I started training for the Manchester 10K and once I did that and started going back to the gym, I realised I had itchy feet again in terms of playing rugby league.
"Once I had decided to give it a go, Rougheyds was obviously the place to be. I still had associations with the club and I knew Deaks (head coach) anyway because he was on the Huddersfield Giants staff when I was over there in my teens.
"I don't know how far I'll get this season because I've been away from the game a long time and there are fitness issues to be taken into account. But anything I do this season will be a bonus in terms of preparing me for a good crack next year."
Said chief executive Chris Hamilton: "Martin has a lot of first-team experience behind him, and he has size and youth on his side. To be out for the best part of three seasons is a long time, so it will be a long haul back for him. But once he has settled back in he will give a young Reserves side the benefit of his experience."
26th JUNE 2008
HUNSLET RESERVES v OLDHAM RESERVES – LATEST NEWS ON DARYL CARDISS COMEBACK
DARYL Cardiss, out for more than four months with a shoulder injury, is ready to start the long climb back with an appearance in the Reserves team at Hunslet tomorrow (Friday) night (7.30pm kick off), the Roughyeds announced today.
Moreover, if all goes well for him at the South Leeds Stadium, he could be thrust into senior action as a replacement for the suspended Gareth Langley in Sunday's big NL2 top-of-the-table clash with Gateshead Thunder at Sedgley Park (3pm kick off).
Cardiss badly damaged the shoulder near the end of Oldham's tremendous 18-14 win against Salford City Reds at Boundary Park on February 22 in the Northern Rail Cup.
He had put in a terrific performance against the NL1 full-timers, but as the game approached its end he was injured while defending on the Oldham try line and subsequently had the dislocated joint put back in place at the Royal Oldham Hospital.
Eighteen weeks, and loads of hard work, later he is ready to do battle once more -- and his return couldn't have come at a better time for Coach Steve Deakin, who has three backs sidelined in the injured Marcus St Hilaire and Ben Seru and the suspended Gareth Langley.
"Daryl will play part of the game in the Reserves at Hunslet tomorrow and if he comes through he will probably be in line to replace Langers on the wing on Sunday," said chief executive Chris Hamilton.
24th JUNE 2008
HUNSLET RESERVES v OLDHAM RESERVES – LATEST NEWS
Simon Baldwin (after illness) and Daryl Cardiss (after major shoulder surgery) are due to begin their comebacks in the Reserves at Hunslet this Friday night.
Luke Sutton, who is still working on his fitness levels, will continue to make progress in the Reserves.
19th JUNE 2008
OLDHAM RESERVES 28 v FEATHERSTONE RESERVES 16 – MATCH REPORT
AT the tenth time of asking, the Roughyeds Reserves finally broke their duck at Sedgley Park on Thursday night when they beat Featherstone Rovers 28-16.
The head coaches of the two clubs, Oldham's Steve Deakin and Featherstone's David Hobbs, were in attendance to run the rule over their young players as Roughyeds stormed into a 22-4 interval lead only to be pegged back to 22-16 before clinching their win with a late try by Craig Littler, improved by stand-off Mark Smith.
His right knee heavily protected, Smith returned to the side after several weeks out to play a key pivotal role at outside-half and to land four conversions after failing with an early penalty attempt and then the attempt to convert the first of Oldham's tries by left winger Steven Fisher.
A delighted Reserves coach John Hough said: "At last we've got the monkey off our back and now we can start to climb the table. We were unlucky to lose last week, but we kicked on from that game and I thought Chris Clarke and Luke Sutton looked especially good in the pack.
"It goes without saying that it was a huge lift to have Phil Joseph and Craig Littler in the side. The rest of the side followed them. Leo (assistant coach Leo Casey) and I were chuffed to bits I can tell you. We go to Hunslet next Friday looking for another two points and if we can get them we can start to climb the table."
Rovers went into an early 4-0 lead with a try in the corner by prop Craig Cawthray, but Oldham were soon on level terms when winger Steven Fisher went in for the first Roughyeds try after great handling left by Joseph, Dale Lowe, Smith, Ben Heaton and Littler.
There had been a chance a few minutes earlier when props Alex Eyres and Sutton went up the middle before Lowe and Ben Heaton sent in Michael Ward at the corner only for the referee to rule forward pass.
The Fisher try followed and then Smith saved a certain Rovers try with a great cover tackle on the Rovers right winger Davi Garahan with the corner flag only feet away.
Scrum-half Lowe's kick into the in-goal on the last tackle set up a second try for Sutton and only a couple of minutes later Smith came up with a 40-20 which led to the Joseph try from dummy half.
A flat pass from Joseph sent Sutton crashing over on the burst for the fourth Oldham try to take the Roughyeds in at half time with a commanding 22-4 lead.
The first 20 minutes of the second half belonged to Rovers, who got within sight with tries by second-row pair Luke Varley and Steve Dooler, both improved by Arran Dobek.
There were only 12 minutes left when Joseph's wide ball to the right found centre Craig Littler, who stormed inside to touch down behind the posts, leaving Smith with the easiest of winning conversions.
Scorers: Oldham -- goals, Smith (4); tries, Fisher, Sutton (2), Joseph, Littler; Featherstone -- goals, Dobek (2); tries, Cawthray, Dooler, Varley.
Oldham: Heaton; Fisher, Littler, Foy, Ward; Smith, Lowe; Eyres, Joseph, Sutton, Clarke, Jagger, Mansfield, Subs: Toft, W Schofield, Orwell, Jackon.
Featherstone: Wilson; Garahan, Smeaton, Wynn, Hutton; Dobek, Anholm; Cawthray, Sinclair, Ellery, Dooler, Varley,Johnson. Subs: Kellet, Jones, Curtis, Burke.
13th JUNE 2008
OLDHAM RESERVES 20 v HUNSLET RESERVES 22 – MATCH REPORT
Seeking their first win of the season, Roughyeds Reserves suffered a heart-breaking last-gasp defeat by Hunslet Hawks at Sedgley Park last night, going down 22-20 after leading 20-10 with only eight minutes left.
Hunslet's winning try -- one of four scored by centre Mark Cunningham --- was scored near the posts in injury time, leaving Matt Bramald with a simple conversion to snatch victory.
So ended a brave, plucky fight by 12-man Oldham, who were short handed from the 25th minute when second-row man Phil Jagger was sent off for what appeared to be a retaliatory head-butt on Hunslet's No 15, Richard Hulme. Initially, the clash produced a penalty for Oldham, but Jagger then took the law into his own hands and suffered the ultimate punishment.
It left the home side with a mountain to climb, but they battled valiantly to lead 10-4 at half time. Hawks pulled back to 10-10 with Cunningham's second try early in the second half, but Roughyeds looked the more dangerous side and ultimately ran in two cracking tries for a 20-10 lead with only quarter of an hour left.
They also appeared to have enough left in the tank to hold on, but Hunslet player-coach Matt Bramald, a substitute, threw himself into the action in a make-or-break bid to pull things round for the Yorkshiremen and it worked a treat. Against a tiring home defence, his vast experience and midfield know-how tipped the scales and led to Cunningham scoring two more tries in the last eight minutes of the game to deny Roughyeds the win they had worked so hard for and one which they undoubtedly deserved.
The three new boys --- Michael Ward on the left wing, Declan Foy at right centre and Ryan Jackson, coming on at prop off the bench --- all did well.
Ward scored the first of Oldham's four tries (after great work by David Orwell and Ben Heaton) and played a major role in the fourth when he was put through an inside gap to send the impressive Heaton in by the posts.
Jackson, the former Oldham RU and Lancashire under-18s RU front-row forward, looked extremely strong and promising in his new code, particularly so as the requirements of front-row forward play in League and Union are so vastly different.
Foy, at right centre, never once got a chance to run with the ball ---- all ball movement invariably went to the left hand side of the field --- but he defended well at close quarters and did all that was asked of him.
Coach John Hough said: "It was a case of so near, yet so far. I was pleased with the performance. We are getting there. The new lads came in and improved us. We should not forget that we are still a new team, with lots of players coming in and out.
"I was disappointed with the sending-off. I can't defend a head-butt, but we'll look at it on video and take it from there. Perhaps we deserved more than to be beaten by a last-gasp try after working so hard for so long with 12 men, but we won't be feeling sorry for ourselves. What's done is done. It's gone now. We've got to get back on the horse and get back into training to prepare for the next challenge.
"We ran out of steam in the closing stages, but we didn't help ourselves because we spilled a lot of possession in the first half and that came back to haunt us."
Full-back Heaton gave an excellent performance, and there were some eye-catching shows, too, from the likes of stand-off Ethan Langhorn, props Alex Eyres and Luke Sutton, loose-forward Chris Clarke and the industrious David Orwell, coming off the bench to impress as the wide-running second-row man on the left hand side of the attack.
Ward, Langhorn, centre Steven Fisher and Heaton scored Oldham's tries, with Langhorn converting two of them.
Team: Heaton; Burns, Foy, Fisher, Ward; Langhorn, Lowe; Eyres, Mansfield, Sutton, Jagger, W Schofield, Clarke. Subs: Toft, Orwell, Jackson, G Schofield
13th JUNE 2008
RESERVES BRIDGE THE GAP
Roughyeds have taken a positive step towards bridging the gap between first team and reserves by adopting a new policy in which the player judged to have made the most impact in each reserves match will link up with the senior side for one game in order to get an inside peep at life in NL2.
"It's all about recognising and rewarding performance in the reserve team and at the same time offering our young lads experience of being part of the first-team squad." said chief executive Chris Hamilton.
Full back Ben Heaton, who had a top game in the reserves 20-22 loss to Hunslet Hawks at Sedgley Park on Thursday night, gets the nod to join the seniors at Hunslet Hawks on Sunday.
Heaton ran the ball back well, defended stoutly, attacked with enterprise, played a major role in the first of Oldham's four tries by winger Michael Ward and scored the fourth himself by backing up Ward on the inside to take the final pass and go under the posts.
The reserves have another home game at Sedgley Park against Featherstone Rovers next Thursday night, June 19, kick off 7.30pm when Craig Littler is expected to make his comeback after injury.
12th JUNE 2008
OLDHAM RESERVES v HUNSLET RESERVES – MATCH PREVIEW
DECLAN FOY TO MAKE ROUGHYEDS RESERVES DEBUT
Declan Foy, a centre like his dad, will play for the Oldham Reserves against Hunslet Hawks at Sedgley Park tonight (7.30pm) as well as a couple of local new boys, Ryan Jackson and Michael Ward.
Born in Oldham when his father Des was at the height of his illustrious career at Watersheddings, 23-year-old Declan moved to Ireland with the family several years ago and has played most of his rugby league over there.
Having left college in Cork last month, he is back in Oldham for a few weeks and he plans to come over here on a more permanent basis later in the year.
"I trained with the Reserves last week and I expect to be playing tonight," he said. "I've always thought I would like to give it a go for my hometown club. The club said they would like to look at me in the Reserves so I'm giving it a go while I've got the chance. That's how things stand at the moment."
In 2002, aged 18, he represented Munster in Ireland's inter-provincial youth championships and a couple of years later he was one of four players from the domestic Ireland competition to be included in a 20-man Ireland squad for the European Nations Cup, alongside players like Phil Cantillon, Mick Cassidy, Lee Doran, Stuart Littler, Paul Southern and Pat Weisner.
Living at that time in Killarney, he played for the Kerry Kings, but more recently he has been playing in Irish Students rugby and for the Limerick-based Treaty City Titans.
Earlier this year he played for the all-amateur Ireland 'A' side against a French team and he hopes to win selection for Ireland 'A' against Wales 'A' when he returns to the Emerald Isle in a few weeks' time.
John Hough, coach of the Oldham second team, said: "We are delighted to give Declan this opportunity, and to have a look at him, just as we are with the other newcomers, Ryan Jackson and Michael Ward."
Ryan is an 18-year-old prop-forward, who is from Oldham but who has played most of his early rugby in the Union code, while Michael, only 17, is a centre or wing from the St Anne's club who comes on the recommendation of the Reserves' assistant coach, Leo Casey.
Houghie added: "I was disappointed with our performance in defeat at Workington last Saturday and I am looking for a much improved show against the Hawks tonight."
7th JUNE 2008
WORKINGTON RESERVES 38 v OLDHAM RESERVES 14
A young Roughyeds' Reserves team that included only one contracted player, Luke Sutton, was beaten 38-14 at Workington on Saturday and coach John Hough will be looking for a massive improvement when his side plays Hunslet Hawks at Sedgley Park this Thursday evening, kick-off 7.30pm.
"If I'm honest I was disappointed with the performance at Workington," said John, "because I felt we went backwards. With due respect to Workington, we should have done a lot better against them and I am glad we play again so quickly because we can get that display out of our systems.
"We will have one or two new faces in the team on Thursday if the lads are signed in time and I expect to see us put right the things we didn't do at all well on Saturday."
Steven Fisher, Dwayne Nelson and David Orwell scored tries at Workington, while Nelson landed a goal.
Team: Heaton; Jeffries, Fisher, Burns, Nelson; Langhorn, Toft; Eyres, Mansfield, Sutton, W Schofield, Jagger, Clarke; Subs: Moore, Orwell, G Schofield, Taylor.
29th MAY 2008
WIDNES RESERVES 36 v OLDHAM RESERVES 30 – MATCH REPORT
BEN Seru's debut off the bench and two long-range tries by young centre Dwaine Nelson were the highlights of the Reserves 36-30 defeat at Widnes Vikings tonight.
The game was won and lost in a ten-minute spell midway through the second half when Vikings scored four tries to turn an 18-12 deficit into a 32-18 lead, but Roughyeds came storming back with two quick tries of their own to pull back to 32-30 with five minutes still left on the clock.
They were on a roll and looking capable of winning at that stage, but concentration lapsed at Widnes's restart kick when the ball was allowed to bounce and go dead. The momentum was lost and with possession gained from the drop-out, Vikings scored again on the very last play of the game.
Gareth Langley played on the right wing; Luke Sutton at prop; Lee Wingfield and Ian Hodson in the second-row; Chris Baines at loose; and Seru came off the bench.
He would almost certainly have been in the starting line-up had he not been delayed en route from his base at Ripon. He was too late for the team bus, but he was taken to Widnes in Chris Hamilton's car. "It was anything but ideal preparation for Ben in his first game for the club," said Chris, "but he looked sharp, dead keen, and he went inside often looking for work. In short, he showed exactly the sort of potential we knew he had when we signed him."
He emerged from the bench after 22 minutes to play on the left wing outside young Nelson, who had sufficient nous to use the Fijian as a foil and to capitalise himself with two superb efforts -- the first when he picked up a dropped Widnes ball to score from inside his own half and the second when he showed the ball to Seru and then glided inside the cover to score another from near half way.
Centre Steven Fisher scored the first Oldham try after good work by Hodson and Wingfield. Roughyeds trailed 12-6 at half-time, but they stormed into an 18-12 lead with the first of Nelson's pair, followed by a beauty from impressive scrum-half Patrick Toft, both improved by Ethan Langhorn.
Oldham were more than a match for the Vikings at that stage, but the visitors hit a wobble; the home side hit full power; and in the space of ten minutes Vikings had gone into a 32-18 lead.
Roughyeds, though, were not to be pushed aside so easily. Baines, who had a strong and industrious game, ploughed over for a well deserved try, which Langhorn goaled, in the 73rd minute and then came one of the best tries of the game from Oldham when good passing to the left at half way gave Nelson the opportunity to use Seru cleverly before racing away to the posts. Langhorn goaled and it was 32-30. Game on.
Unfortunately, the restart went dead; Oldham's last chance had gone; and Vikings wrapped it up with a try in the corner, after which the hooter sounded.
Oldham could again take a lot of positives out of the match, not least the debut offering from Seru, who never got a chance to show his pace, but who looked a very capable player with ball in hand, especially when taking a high, teasing bomb under pressure and when moving inside looking for work.
Coach John Hough said: "On the one hand I was a little bit disappointed because it was a game we could have won. On the other, I asked for more improvement from the last game, and I certainly got that. We are going to have a good session in the gym on Tuesday with our conditioner, Mark Canning, and that will stand us in good stead for the trip to Workington a week on Saturday.
"Individually, lots of the boys are coming on in leaps and bounds, and I am very pleased about that as well."
Oldham: Eaton; Langley, Fisher, Nelson, Taylor; Langhorn, Toft; Eyres, Mansfield, Sutton, Wingfield, Hodson, Baines. Subs: Seru, Clarke, Schofield, Lowe.
Scorers: goals, Langhorn 5; tries, Fisher, Nelson (2), Toft, Baines.
8th MAY 2008
OLDHAM RESERVES 4 v SALFORD RESERVES 56 – MATCH REPORT
AFTER the best part of 11 weeks sidelined by knee injuries and operations, Matty Brooks and Simon Baldwin began their comebacks in the Reserves' 56-4 defeat by Salford City Reds at Sedgley Park last night.
Tommy Grundy was also back on active duty after two weeks out with a back injury, but Lee Wingfield didn't play for the second consecutive reserves game.
Out for a year, and having had a major knee reconstruction, Lee has made two appearances in the reserves side, but he might still be suffering from the back problem that kept him out of the game against Leigh a week ago.
Brooks, Baldwin and Grundy started the game -- Brooks at hooker, Baldwin at No 10 and Grundy in the second-row --- but they were all withdrawn shortly before half time. Grundy and Baldwin did not reappear, but Brooks returned to the field midway through the second half and saw out the remainder of the game.
Head coach Steve Deakin looked on as Oldham got off to a flying start with the opening try by new boy Jack Burns from Waterhead, on his debut.
After that, Roughyeds were overrun by a faster, more experienced City Reds side which included several players who had dipped their toe in the first-team waters. Stand-off Stefan Ratchford, whose lively running last night cut the Roughyeds defence to pieces, played scrum-half in the Salford side beaten 18-14 by Oldham in the Northern Rail Cup at the start of the season.
Lee Jewitt, Chris Borgese and Stephen Bannister, all in the Salford Reserves' pack last night, played in both Salford's Northern Rail Cup clashes with Oldham last February.
"They were a lot more experienced than us and quite a few of them had sampled first-team rugby," said Roughyeds coach John Hough. "My lads were enthusiastic and passionate in all they did. Despite the score, I am quite pleased. We kept working hard to the very end and the lads did all that could have been expected of them."
It had not gone unnoticed by Hough that, although his new side had lost each of their six league games to date, they had been beaten home and away by the top three teams in the division -- Salford, Leigh and Rochdale Hornets.
"We've played the top three home and away," added John, "but now we've got a three-week break before we go to Widnes. The lads will welcome that break because most of them have been playing non-stop for the past eight months and some of them have clocked up more than 40 games.
"We are bottom of the league right now, but we've finished with the top three and we've still to play home and away against Widnes, Workington, Hunslet, Featherstone and Barrow. I'll judge my lads when we have played these teams -- we've already won at Featherstone in pre-season -- and when we see where we finish up in the table."
The Oldham team last night was given as follows: Dale Lowe; Dwaine Nelson, Adam Jeffries, David Orwell, Jack Burns; Ethan Langhorn, Pat Toft; Alex Eyres, Matty Brooks, Simon Baldwin, Tommy Grundy, Chris Clark, Scot Mansfield. Subs: Martyn Sarsfield, Ben Eaton, Will Schofield, Andy Taylor.