Whitehead: St Anne's not fazed by Mayfield quality

Sean Whitehead

JOINT coach Sean Whitehead insists Oldham St Anne's won't be overawed by the challenge they face in tomorrow's 113th Standard Cup final at Manor Park (kick-off 11.45am).

Saints, who ply their trade in Division Three of the National Conference League, go head to head with Premier outfit and clear favourites on form, Rochdale Mayfield, in the Napier Windows Ltd-sponsored showdown.

It's three years since the two sides last met in the final, with Mayfield emerging 36-14 victors.

Mayfield sit fifth in the top flight - they beat Leigh Miners Rangers 44-26 most recently - while Saints have had an indifferent start to the campaign with one win from three outings in the league.

Whitehead (pictured), who has lifted the Standard Cup and Ben Powell man-of-the-match award as a player, says the day is one of the highlights in the amateur rugby league calendar.

'PRESTIGE'

He said: "It's good for the club. There is a lot of prestige about.

"For the players who haven't played in a final before, it is one to look forward to. It's a good occasion.

"We're big underdogs - Mayfield are three divisions higher than us - but we're not going into the game to make up the numbers. We'll give it a go and see what happens.

"We've got a few bumps and bruises from last weekend's match up at Gateshead. It was a tough game - they were a big side - on a hard pitch, but we're ready to go again."

Saints can take heart from last season's Standard Cup final when Mayfield, who had a player sent off early on, were turned over by Saddleworth Rangers.

THE action at Manor Park gets under way at 10.45am with an over-35s Masters game, played in memory of the late Oldham RL player and referee Johnny Blair.

Teams are made up of ex-players from the local amateur rugby league scene.