Attitude must be right, says Oldham skipper

NOT ON MY WATCH . . . Gareth Owen is demanding full concentration

THE last thing Gareth Owen wants in his early days as Oldham captain is to go down in Roughyeds folklore as the first player to lead a side beaten by amateurs.

It's never happened in the modern era, Oldham having won all 18 of their pro-am clashes since the launch of Oldham RLFC (1997) Ltd, including a 34-10 defeat of Saddleworth Rangers at Boundary Park in 2006.

They've had a couple of frights, beating Castleford Panthers and Egremont by only eight points in 2004 and 2012, but in the main they've won comfortably, topped by an 80-6 romp against Blackwood Bulldogs of South Wales at Sedgley Park in 2010, an all-time club record highest score.

What's gone before though will be the last thing on Owen's mind when he leads out Roughyeds in front of the BBC cameras at Bower Fold tomorrow (1pm kick-off) to do battle with a Haydock outfit that will be brimming over with self-belief.

"We know from past experience what the cup can do and what we need to do to make sure we are not on the wrong side of an upset," he said.

"Haydock are a good side. They must be to get through to the fourth round and you've only to look at who they've beaten to realise they can win against the odds. They must be very tough mentally.

'BIGGEST'

"Having won at Hull KR last year we know a little bit about that and we know we've got to turn up with a vastly-different attitude to the one Hull KR had against us.

"It's the biggest day in Haydock's history and they'll give it everything they've got.

"We'll be genuinely respectful to them and that means treating them like the teams we meet every week in the Championship.

"Nothing less will do."

The lengths Oldham have gone to in order to acquire the services of on-loan Keiran Gill shows that Haydock will not be taken lightly.

Nor should they be. They might be a village team that plays on a council pitch and changes in the nearby community centre, but don't be fooled by that.

Coach Chris Smith (41), in his fifth year with 'the Yickers', had heaps of Super League experience as a winger with Castleford,

St Helens and Hull FC before cutting his teeth in the community game as player-boss of York-based Heworth.

INVITING

He demonstrated his attention to detail when inviting Sean Long, a legend in those parts, to take a training session and provide a new voice.

Smith said: "We're one of the small clubs in the St Helens area, but we've got big hearts on and off the field and people are starting to take notice of us."

Formed in 1979 by three local enthusiasts, Frank Bradshaw, Eric Smith and Robert Berry, they finished top of the North-West Men's League last year and then went on to win the Grand Final.

Three to watch are stand-off, club captain and chief tactician Jordan Gibson; goalkicking centre Dean Dollin, who kicked five from five in the win in London; and prop Garry Anderton, formerly with Widnes Vikings.