Right to leave Gleeson out

7:25am Monday 12th May 2008

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PAUL Johnson said it was the right decision to leave Martin Gleeson out of the team that lost to St Helens in the fifth round of the Challenge Cup on Saturday.

Gleeson took ill on Friday night and was on a drip in the Knowsley Road dressing room prior to the match warm-up in a bid to get him fit to play.

But Gleeson did not finish the session and was disorientated in the dressing room, leaving substitute Johnson to take his starting position at right centre.

Johnson, who produced a strong performance and set up two tries for winger Chris Hicks, said: "It was the best thing to do because Martin probably wouldn't have lasted 10 minutes and that wouldn't have been any good for the team.

"I just got on with it. I've been around a long time so I knew what to do.

"I just got on with playing my normal game."

Johnson damaged knee ligaments late in the game and had to come off, leaving him to go for a scan today, Monday, and unlikely to be available to face Wigan at the JJB Stadium on Friday.