Roughyeds suffer Neal body blow

ADAM NEAL . . . injured

OLDHAM RL Club's worst fears about Adam Neal and his broken jaw have been confirmed with the news that he will be out for six to eight weeks.

He's home from hospital after an operation to plate the damaged jaw, facing the prospect of missing most of the remaining ten games.

Injured in last Sunday's 14-12 win against Toulouse Olympique at Bower Fold, the club's top prop is the latest victim of an injury jinx that has claimed numerous senior players over the last few weeks.

Another of them, full-back Richard Lepori, goes for a scan later today on an ankle injury that has already kept him out of the last four games.

Other victims will be assessed at training tonight, ahead of another tough game at Bower Fold on Sunday against third-placed Featherstone Rovers.

A win here will seal the Yorkshire club's top-four finish and, with it, a lucrative appearance in the Middle 8s which provides a potential stepping stone into Super League.

Having topped up their squad for the run-in, Rovers are expected to give a debut at Bower Fold to former London Broncos and Castleford forward Daniel Igbinedion, who has been on loan to Dewsbury from the Betfred Super League leaders.

He is keen to debut against Oldham in what the Featherstone club are describing as a must-win game in their pursuit of top-four recognition.

Said Igbinedion: "I want to show people what I'm about. My career has always been about making progress. I improved at Castleford and then the move to Dewsbury on loan got me noticed.

"I'm a very physical player, so I'm happy to play up front. I have some pace about me, too, so I can also play on the edges. "

As a former Broncos Academy forward, he will be well known to Oldham's loan duo from the capital-based club, Kameron Pearce-Paul and Sadiq Adebiyi, both of whom have figured prominently in the Roughyeds' last two games against Bradford Bulls away and Toulouse at home.