Roughyeds guaranteed a play-off spot

Despite dropping to fifth place overall - fourth in the play-off five - Stuart Littler’s Roughyeds are guaranteed a spot in the exciting end-of-season tournament which sees the winners elevated to the Championship along with the champions, who go up automatically.

It's safe to assume that runaway leaders Dewsbury Rams, still unbeaten and seven points clear, will go up with few further questions asked.

Of their three remaining games, they need to win only one more to be absolutely sure.

They’re in sight of the winner’s flag, while their win against North Wales Crusaders last Sunday means Crusaders are still sweating on landing the last play-off spot

The four above them - Hunslet, Workington, Doncaster and Oldham - will still have some jostling to do yet, given there are a few games in which some of them play each other, including Oldham versus Workington, which has still to be rearranged.

It’s certainly tight in there as became evident last weekend when Workington’s win in Cornwall lifted them TWO places on the ladder, much to the Cumbrians’ delight and to Roughyeds’ chagrin.

Doncaster were also overtaken after their shock home defeat by Midlands Hurricanes, a sure sign once again that nothing can be taken for granted in rugby league.

Roughyeds have four games left - two at home and two away.

The games at the Vestacare Stadium are against Workington (still to be fixed but probably a mid-week night match next month) and against cock-a-hoop Midlands Hurricanes in the last game of the season on Sunday, August 27.

The two away games are at Cornwall on Sunday, August 6 and the derby clash with Rochdale Hornets at the Crown Oil Arena on Sunday, August 20.

August will clearly be a crucial month for Stu Litter’s lads.

Cornwall away. on the 6th, is never easy as Roughyeds discovered on their first trip down there last year when they managed to win after trailing at half-time.

Rochdale away on the 20th will be like any other derby - anything can happen - and then come Hurricanes who need to win at Rochdale this Sunday and hope that Cornwall get the better of North Wales Crusaders to keep their slim play-off hopes alive.

Nevertheless, Hurricanes are a team on the up (a week or two ago they came close to toppling leaders Dewsbury) and they would love nothing better than to pull off a shock at Oldham, as they did at Doncaster last time out.

Sandwiched somewhere between that little lot will be a night match against Workington Town at the Vestacare Stadium and the Cumbrians are not only a team hitting their peak at just the right time, but a side with an excellent record at the Vestacare Stadium in recent visits.

Fortunately, only Workington (of the four teams Oldham have still to play) can finish higher than Roughyeds, but the local lads have it all to do in August if they are to pick up a good share of the eight points still available to finish high enough in the play-off five to have a realistic chance of reaching the final.

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