Oldham striving to pack a punch

Photo: Dave Murgatroyd

TOUCHING DOWN . . . Oldham's Michael Ward registers

AN Oldham pack without Phil Joy, Jack Spencer and maybe Ben Davies will have a big job to do against Swinton Lions at Bower Fold tomorrow (3pm).

As top prop, Adam Neal will be required to lead from the front and coach Scott Naylor will be looking for huge performances from Michael Ward and Joe Burke as his only other specialist front-row men.

Liam Thompson has played there in the past and he may be asked to put in another shift in the engine room, although that could depend on who is available from Huddersfield Giants on dual registration.

Nathan Mason or Tyler Dickinson would come in handy, that's for sure.

It's a different story at hooker, with Sammy Gee, Kenny Hughes and Gareth Owen in contention, and in the backs where Scott Turner will be chasing a recall, as will George Tyson at centre or second-row.

If Roughyeds have their positive heads on, as they usually do at Bower Fold, they will be well down the road to picking up their third Championship win of the season.

MOVING

Bower Fold is home-sweet-home for Naylor's men, who have won 10 of their 17 Championship or Shield games there since winning promotion and moving to Stalybridge.

Naylor describes this game as "massively important" and he isn't wrong.

A win would give Roughyeds five points more than the Lions with a game in hand; defeat would end Swinton's run of seven straight losses and put them within one point of their derby rivals.

Roughyeds won't fall into the trap of reading anything into that Lions record.

Unlike Roughyeds, they've suffered only one heavy defeat, going down to London Broncos (by three points), Bradford Bulls (seven), Batley Bulldogs (four), Toulouse Olympique away (eight), Sheffield (four) and Halifax (ten).

They're the Championship 'nearly men' and they willll be targeting this as a must-win encounter.

Said Naylor: "We spent last season battling against each other to stay up. It was good that we both made it, but it could be a similar battle this year.

"We'll be looking for a big response after our defeat in France, just as we did against Bradford after our big loss at Batley.

"With four points on offer, Easter is crucial for all clubs and we'll be looking for a win on Friday to give us momentum to take with us to Halifax on Monday night."

Last season at Halifax, Roughyeds lost 12-6 in the league and 32-18 in the shield, but in each game there was only one difference between the sides - Fax's greater acumen in turning pressure into points.