Roughyeds staying focused

Photo: Darren Robinson

Scott Naylor: no time for complacency.. Photo: DARREN ROBINSON

TWO in-form teams gunning for top spot, North Wales Crusaders and Oldham are under starter’s orders for a titanic clash at the Racecourse, Wrexham, on Sunday.

After half a dozen wins, Scott Naylor’s high-flying Roughyeds are aiming to be in seventh heaven by full-time. North Wales are seeking a sixth win in a row. If achieved they would move within a point of Oldham.

For Oldham coach Naylor, it is about keeping players’ minds focused and making sure they don’t get carried away. Oldham are out in front and have earned the right to be there with a string of impressive performances, both in the familiar confines of Whitebank and on their travels.

“When you’ve won six games in a row, everything seems easy,” said Naylor. “The important thing is to keep the flow and momentum going, and make sure complacency doesn’t creep in.

“The players are happy. They come to training with smiles on their faces. For a coach, it is easy money as perhaps not everything goes under the microscope when you are on such a good run.

“After a couple of defeats and you’re trying to work out what went wrong and put it right, that’s when a coach earns it.

“Yes, we’ve won six straight games, but we’ve got North Wales Crusaders on Sunday, followed by Keighley - two really tough matches. But that’s why this league and this season have been so good. “We’re getting to the business end of the season now, so no game is going to be easy.”

Oldham are looking to break their duck against Sunday’s opponents after losing to them in the league and iPro Cup at Whitebank this season.

North Wales have conceded only 30 points in their last four games and only 203 points all season - the lowest tally by far.