Penalty poser

JACK SPENCER . . . the RFL ruled that the Oldham forward wouldn’t be charged for a late tackle.

LIFTED by an easing injury situation, Oldham RL Club have had more good news ahead of Sunday’s intriguing clash with Sheffield Eagles at Bower Fold (3pm kick-off)

An incident at Swinton on Easter Monday, in which Jack Spencer was penalised for a late tackle, went to the RFL’s match review panel which had ruled the forward won’t be charged.

Even so, satisfying the technical demands of match officials will be uppermost in coach Scott Naylor’s preparations for the Sheffield game after his side was penalised 16 times in the exciting 28-12 win against Batley Bulldogs.

Similarly, Halifax were awarded 10 penalties to Oldham’s six in the previous home game on Good Friday.

Naylor said: “We gave Halifax too many penalties. I don’t understand what we are doing wrong in the ruck and what we are doing right. It was the same story up at Workington.”

As Roughyeds bounced back from four defeats in a row to see off Batley with a patched-up side, Sheffield put consecutive losses to Leigh, Whitehaven, Featherstone and Dewsbury behind them to make the whole division sit up with a 46-28 win at Bradford Bulls.

Naylor and his Eagles counterpart Mark Aston were two of the happiest men in Rugby League last Sunday night. Which one remains happy on Sunday afternoon remains to be seen.



DURING the hour before kick-off at Bower Fold on Sunday (2pm to 3pm) fans will be able to buy tickets for Oldham’s Ladbrokes Challenge Cup fifth-round tie at Hull KR on Saturday, April 16 (2pm) and for the Summer Bash weekend at Bloomfield Road, Blackpool in which Oldham play Swinton Lions on Sunday, May 29 (3pm).

Tickets for both events will be available from the ticket office next to the Bower Fold social club.