Roughyeds await Nield verdict

STEVEN NIELD . . . check on knee injury.

STEVEN Nield's knee injury will be assessed at training tonight as Oldham look forward to Sunday's visit of iPro Sport Cup winners North Wales Crusaders.

The full-back went down awkwardly in a first-half tackle at Keighley and was unable to play on, but was walking unaided as the Oldham party left Cougar Park. His chances of being available for what promises to be a stirring re-run of the iPro Cup semi-final at Whitebank in April won't be known until club physiotherapist Patrick Hoyte has examined him tonight.

Vice-captain Sam Gee, unwell at the end of the game at Keighley, will also be checked out. He was switched from centre to full-back when Nield went off and played outstandingly well there, but he was clearly in some distress as he headed for the dressing room after the game.

Dual-reg Josh Johnson will be available again after suspension, but Gareth Owen and George Tyson must miss one more game before they can be considered for the home clash with Oxford on June 14.

Starting with the Crusaders game, Roughyeds expect Whitebank attendances to increase significantly over the rest of the season, given that visits by Coventry Bears, London Skolars, Gloucester All Golds and Newcastle Thunder are already out of the way.

Among the remaining seven home games are the derby clashes with Rochdale Hornets and Swinton Lions and visits by other traditional Northern clubs such as York City Knights, Keighley Cougars and Barrow Raiders.

Crusaders normally have a decent away following and on their last trip to Whitebank they saw their team win 18-16 in a thriller to qualify for the iPro Sport Cup final in which they beat Swinton Lions 14-8 with a decisive try near the end by former Oldham half-back Jamie Dallimore.

They were pre-season favourites to finish top of League One, but they are currently in sixth place, three points behind Oldham but with a game in hand.

Four local primary schools - Lyndhurst, Greenhill, St Hilda's and Broadfield - will play tag-rugby

curtain-raisers, which will be continued during the half-time interval.