Hawks build up begins

OLDHAM’S players get stuck back into training tonight as they count down to the team’s final match of the regular season away to Hunslet on Sunday.

Coach Tony Benson will guide his men through a short video session on the Hawks — who sit sixth, five points and two places behind the Roughyeds in Co-operative Championship One — before taking the squad through a field session.

A number of players, including recent absentees through injury Paul Highton (knee) and Marcus St Hilaire (Achilles), will be put through their paces as Benson attempts to bring together the strongest side he can muster.

It has been a tough path for Oldham since the ‘famous five’ players left to join Barrow.

And dramatic events took place at Craven Park at the weekend, as former Roughyeds coach Steve Deakin — appointed as recently as six weeks ago — got the sack after an alleged training field bust-up and perceived favouritism towards the former Oldham contingent.

The departure of Deakin comes despite an impeccable record of four wins from four played, which helped take Barrow to the top of the Championship table.

Previous coach Dave Clark was back in charge last night for a home game against relegation-threatened Gateshead and Barrow fell to a 16-12 defeat.

It leaves the Raiders sweating, with the bonus point they picked up not yet enough to guarantee them a top-of-the-table finish.

Halifax, who won 27-18 at Leigh to plunge the Centurions closer to relegation, can still catch Barrow if the Cumbrian side lose their final match at Sheffield on Thursday night and fail to pick up a bonus point.

Leigh’s defeat leaves them in the second relegation place, level on 29 points with Gateshead and Batley but with an inferior points differential.