Roughyeds remain positive over play-off chances

EXPERIENCED duo Marcus St Hilaire and Paul Reilly are set for a return to the ranks as Oldham bid for an end-of-season play-offs boost.

But the visit to Hunslet’s South Leeds Stadium on Sunday (3pm) still looks set to be a tough one, team-wise, for Roughyeds coach Tony Benson.

Despite the former Huddersfield pair’s likely comeback from injury, Benson could be missing five of the players who were in the side for the game against York two weeks ago.

Captain Tommy Goulden and scrum-half Thomas Coyle were absent from last night’s training session with suspected swine flu, winger Lee Greenwood is still struggling with his shoulder injury and hooker Gary Sykes has an ankle problem.

With ex-Doncaster second row forward Craig Lawton unavailable for this game because of personal reasons, added to loan man Andy Boothroyd having returned to Sheffield and Army winger Ben Seru out of commission having been called to London for a two-week training exercise, Benson admits he is down to the “bare bones”.

“It is a tough assignment: having to deal with sickness at this stage is typical of the luck we have had this season,” Benson said.

“At the same time, the atmosphere at training and the feeling within the squad is good. Everyone is in a positive mood and we are going to have a really good go at it.”

Final fitness checks will be made tomorrow morning.

Oldham (from): O’Connor, Onyango, Russo, Littler, Greenwood, N Roden, Coyle, Boults, M Roden, Kerr, Goulden, Baines, I’Anson, Sykes, Menzies, Joseph, Robinson, St Hilaire, Reilly, Ashe.