Farrimond left relieved to be on sure footing

HOPING FOR BETTER: Craig Farrimond

CRAIG Farrimond aims to right a few wrongs and put on a winning performance back on home soil tomorrow.

A 40-14 defeat for Saddleworth Rangers at East Leeds last week came on a rock-hard playing surface, on which Ben Wood ruptured ankle ligaments on an afternoon to forget.

Coming on the back of a 30-0 home win over Millom, it leaves the Greenfield club eighth in Division Two of the National Conference League ahead of tomorrow's home meeting with Salford City Roosters.

Coach Farrimond felt that his side were up against it injuries-wise - Ben Whitehead and Tom Robinson were missing through injury - and that the game should not even have started given the conditions.

"We went from our best performance of the season against Millom to our worst," said Farrimond. "The injury situation is the worst I have known at the club and the pitch was so bad it was like playing on concrete.

"The match officials were inexperienced and we got drawn into a game that was a dogfight.

"We will hopefully have a couple of players back now. It will be good to get back to playing at home again."

Jack Connor and Liam Hall could be available once again and after a positive week of training, Farrimond reiterated to Rangers' second-team squad that the door is always open for those who impress.

In Division Three, Waterhead Warriors sit it out this week having earned a useful 44-24 home victory over Barrow island, while Oldham St Anne's are back at home.

The Higginshaw Road club host third-placed Dewsbury Moor Maroons, aiming to build on last week's 26-18 victory at Stanley Rangers.

Saints are currently two points adrift of Waterhead but with a superior points difference.

Sean Whitehead and Paul Ashton's side will edge ahead of their rivals by claiming a win against the West Yorkshire outfit, ahead of the local derby between the duo at Higginshaw Road next week.