Naylor seeks lift off after win tonic

HAPPY MAN . . . Kieran Gill is all smiles after Oldham's morale-boosting victory

SCOTT Naylor is calling on his Oldham players to take heart from their gutsy 26-18 win against relegation rivals Whitehaven and kick-on to start winning away from home as well as at Bower Fold.

Still second from bottom of the Kingstone Press Championship, Roughyeds go to Sheffield Eagles on Friday night (8pm) in search of their first Championship win outside of Bower Fold at the 11th attempt.

On the road they've been beaten by Leigh, Featherstone, Workington, Swinton (twice), Whitehaven, Halifax, Batley, Dewsbury and London Broncos.

Sheffield remain two points and one place better off than Roughyeds as a result of their surprise 35-10 home win against Featherstone.

Coach Mark Aston was at Bower Fold yesterday, heading a Sheffield contingent which also included former Oldham prop Adam Neal.

Said Naylor: "We've 11 games left ­- five at home and six away ­- and we've got to regard the Whitehaven win as the start of a mini-league which will define our season.

"We've got to start winning away and putting points on the board and Sheffield would be a good place to start.

"We've got a problem with Jack Spencer, who felt his shoulder again in his first game back yesterday. That's a concern, and something we need to look into.

"Everyone else came through okay.

STRONG

"There were seven players in the stand ­- all ready to play apart from Gary Middlehurst ­- and for the first time in a long time we're looking strong in terms of numbers."

The six waiting for the nod were Jack Holmes, club captain Lewis Palfrey, Steve Roper, Adam Files, Kenny Hughes and Will Hope.