Oldham trial ex-Widnes youngsters

Two bright young prospects who were formerly with Widnes Vikings have thrown their caps into the Roughyeds ring.

One of them, 21-year-old Tom Rigby, trained with Oldham’s first-team squad on Thursday night and will play against Rochdale Hornets in Monday’s Law Cup clash at Whitebank (3pm kick off).

A utility back, Rigby has been training with Roughyeds’ reserves for the past three weeks.

He has impressed under-23s coach Paul Ashton and it is on his recommendation that Rigby will be given an early opportunity to catch the eye of head coach Tony Benson.

Rigby and his ex-Widnes team mate Jack Reid, who is also training with Ashton’s squad, were regular members of the Vikings under-23s side which finished top of the Reserves Championship last season.

Oldham, who were second, were the only team to beat them all season and they did it three times — away in the league and in the play-offs and at Whitebank 29-24 in the play-off final.

Rigby, a close friend of Oldham’s young forward Alex Thompson, played on the left wing for Widnes in that final, while Reid turned out at loose-forward.

Benson has confirmed that Rigby will get his chance in the Law Cup game, but he won’t finalise his squad until later.

He has provisionally named a 20-man squad which includes new pack signings Paul Smith, Neil Rigby and Bruce Johnson plus four youngsters who have earned first-team contracts on the strength of their performances for the reserves, Jamie Dallimore, David Cookson, Danny Langtree and Alex Thompson.