Key spell looming large for Oldham

Oldham RLFC crest

WHEN they report back for training tomorrow night, after a week off, Oldham will be gearing up for three of their most important games of the season against Batley Bulldogs, Rochdale Hornets and Swinton Lions.

Bradford Bulls and Dewsbury Rams currently occupy the bottom two relegation places in the KP Championship then come, in ascending order, Swinton (six points from 13 games), Rochdale (seven from 13), Oldham (nine from 12) and Batley (10 from 13).

When Roughyeds play Batley at the Manchester Regional Arena this Sunday, May 21 (3pm), Rochdale go to Halifax and Swinton go to Hull KR.

A win for Scott Naylor's men will take them into seventh - their highest ever placing since winning promotion to the Championship a season and a half ago.

Equally importantly, it could put more daylight between Oldham and their two derby rivals.

DRAW

Next up after that is the Summer Bash weekend at Blackpool in which Oldham play Rochdale on Saturday, May 27 (2.30), as a follow-up to their 26-all draw at the Crown Oil Arena in March, and Swinton take on Sheffield Eagles on the Sunday (12.35pm)

A week later, on Sunday, June 4, Oldham go to Swinton and Rochdale go to Sheffield, who will also have a big say in how the bottom half of the Championship table will look after the first weekend in June.

Oldham will be targeting a maximum six points from those three games, after which they will have eight games left in the regular season - six of them at Bower Fold.

"The week's rest will have done us a world of good, mentally and physically. It's value can't be over-stated," said coach Scott Naylor. "When we get together again on Tuesday it will be like a fresh start for the second half of the season."

Swinton didn't have the luxury of a break - they played Wigan Warriors at Heywood Road, Sale yesterday in the sixth round of the Ladbrokes Challenge Cup and went down 42-12.

THE Oldham club has regular home and away replica jerseys in stock, all sizes, priced at £45 adults and £35 juniors.

For these, and Summer Bash tickets, ring 07904 898177, 9.30am to 1.30pm Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 9.30am to 3.30pm Fridays.

Meanwhile, a repeat of the 2016 Grand Final and a clash between the holders and the Super League leaders are the highlights of a mouth-watering Ladbrokes Challenge Cup quarter-final draw.

Hull, who made a convincing start to the defence of their trophy with a 62-0 rout of Catalans Dragons on Friday, will have another home tie but are guaranteed a sterner test against Castleford, who were 53-10 victors over St Helens.

Warrington, who were runners-up to Hull at Wembley last August, will have home advantage against record 19-times winners Wigan in what will be their fourth meeting in eight months.

Leeds, who have played League One opponents Doncaster and Barrow so far in the competition, will again have home advantage against part-time opposition after being paired with Championship high-fliers Featherstone, with whom they have a dual-registration agreement.

In the other tie, Salford will be at home for the third successive round, this time to Wakefield, who were semi-finalists in 2016.

All the ties, which will be played from June 15-18, will be televised live, split between the BBC and Sky Sports.