Oldham choose safer option

Adam Neal

Oldham will go into their last two games against Swinton Lions and Oxford without the suspended Sammy Gee and Adam Neal.

But both will be available for the top-two promotion decider if, as seems likely, Roughyeds qualify.

Charged with grade ‘C’ offences, both Gee and Neal were liable for up to three-match bans had they not entered early guilty pleas.

Initially the club intended not to do so in prop-forward Neal’s case and intended to appear before the disciplinary hearing - but second thoughts prevailed and the club took the safer option.

Chairman Chris Hamilton explained: “Adam didn’t want to run the risk of a three-match ban, which would have ruled him out of the promotion decider.

“We weren’t happy with his offence grade, but even if we had gone before the panel he was always going to get at least a one-match ban, which would have ruled him out for Swinton anyway.

“We felt an early guilty plea was the best course At any other time of the season it might have been viewed differently.”

Neal has played in 23 and Gee in 22 of Oldham’s 25 games this season, and they won’t easily be replaced. After a week off, the players reported back for training last night.

Coach Scott Naylor will have 21 players available for Sunday’s first versus third showdown with Swinton at Whitebank — a game with a huge bearing on final places in League One.

Naylor said: “The boys were back in the swing of things and looked better for the break.

“It was a tough session and they are going to be sore, but they’ll all be right for Swinton.

“We’re the two form teams of the division, 11 wins in a row Oldham against nine wins Swinton, so we’ll have to be at our best.”