Roughyeds boost as Briscoe hopes to get all-clear

CRAIG Briscoe has been on the sidelines since the pre-season campaign.

OLDHAM RL Club’s injury problems show signs of improvement on two fronts.

New signing Craig Briscoe, who damaged a knee at Barrow in a pre-season game and hasn’t played since, sees a specialist in the next few days when he hopes to be given the all-clear.

Fellow forward Jack Spencer, who bust a hand in the win against Featherstone and then missed the Warrington and Leigh games, has been told he can start training again in a couple of weeks.

It’s unlikely either will be ready for the Summer Bash clash with Swinton Lions at Blackpool on Sunday, May 29 (3pm), but both could figure next month, Briscoe for the first time in a competitive game for Roughyeds.

Full-back Richard Lepori (shoulder) sat out the Leigh game and didn’t train on Tuesday. He’s not expected to play against Halifax at The Shay tomorrow (8pm), but with nine days then before the ‘bash’ at Bloomfield Road the Roughyeds’ medical staff will be doing all they can to get him back on the field as quickly as possible.

Centre Jon Ford (knee) is still a way off, but there’s good news on Danny Langtree (ankle) who successfully got through the last 20 minutes of the Leigh game off the bench, scoring a solo try in the bargain.

He suffered no ill effects before completing a full training session on Tuesday to prove his fitness ahead of tomorrow’s big test at Halifax.

Dual-reg players from Huddersfield Giants will also be available again to coach Scott Naylor, so the side is unlikely to show much change from the Leigh game, although Lewis Palfrey, Jack Holmes and new loan signing Tom Spencer will be in contention.

Naylor will have the squad in for a short session tonight, after which they will play tomorrow and then enjoy the benefits of a rare weekend off.

With only nine days to go now before the start of Summer Bash, time is running out for fans who wish to help the club by getting their tickets from Whitebank.

Oldham season-ticket holders go for half-price on tickets purchased at Whitebank, but the club benefits from every ticket sold locally and has appealed to fans to support their club in this way.

Whitebank will be open from 9.30am to 4pm tomorrow for the sale of tickets, but that’s the cut-off point for local sales as unsold tickets will then be returned to the RFL.