Every game is a cup final for Roughyeds

SCOTT NAYLOR . . . the Oldham coach has plenty of food for thought

NEUTRALS were jumping up and down in delight during Oldham's last visit to the Beaumont Legal Stadium, the Wakefield home of Sheffield Eagles.

Thirteen 13 tries and 70 points of entertaining if not error-strewn rugby saw the Roughyeds slip to a 42-28 defeat in the penultimate game of the regular Kingstone Press Championship season.

Although heartened by a second-half comeback ­- Oldham trailed 38-12 at one stage ­- for coach Scott Naylor, defensively, it did not make for pleasant viewing.

Winger Garry Lo and centre Menzie Yere ­- Papua New Guinea partnership on the left flank ­- proved too hot to handle.

It was a different story earlier in the season when Lo and Yere hardly got a sniff as Oldham won 26-10 to make the perfect start to the Championship campaign.

Fast forward five months and Naylor's men, beset by injuries, are in a dogfight to stay in the division.

They make a quick return to the Wakefield on Sunday for the first of seven games in the Shield competition.

Naylor is keen not to let Eagles fly away with this one.

The hosts are sitting comfortably in mid-table, while Oldham are second bottom.

Naylor said: "In the last game against Sheffield it was disappointing to score 28 point but still lose.

"We scored enough points to win the game, but we've got to stand up defensively.

"Sheffield are a good set of lads with great experience.

"They will be in a relaxed mode, feeling no pressure. Whether that's a good thing or bad thing, I don't know, we'll see on Sunday.

"It will be a tough game whatever kind of mood they are in.

"We've got a little bit of confidence from our last performance, so hopefully we can build on that."

Oldham's last run-out, against Rochdale Hornets, again saw them give the opposition a head start.

Roughyeds were 18 points adrift, pulled the scoreline back to 20-18, before they eventually succumbed 34-24. Having to contend with such a long list of injuries has meant Naylor has had to juggle his match-day 17 almost constantly.

Continuity has gone out of the window.

Naylor went on: "It's difficult when you lose a lot of your top lads.

"Adam Neal, Danny Langtree, Gareth Owen, Scott Turner, Richard Lepori, Jack Spencer and Liam Thompson are part of the middle unit and when those lads are missing, and a lot at the same time, it's always going to be hard.

"We've had to put in new faces and obviously it takes a period of time for them to learn the system, and sometimes that system breaks down."

Oldham face seven games in the Shield, four away and three at home.

It's a battle for survival, and Naylor concluded: "As we've said before, every game is like a cup final.

"We've got the fixtures in front of us and we get on with it."