NEIL Roden, Oldham RL Club's influential pivot, will miss his fourth game in a row when the Roughyeds go to Workington Town on Sunday (3pm).

It was hoped at one stage that the club's long-serving 30-year-old outside-half would have recovered from a broken toe in time to begin his comeback at Derwent Park.

"He ran with us on Tuesday night for the first time in a month," said coach Tony Benson. “But he needs a bit more time. He's nearly there – but not quite."

Roden (pictured) had been the key player when Oldham just held on to beat Town earlier in the season at Sedgley Park.

Matty Ashe and loan signing Gregg McNally look certain to be pulling the strings at half-back again, and McNally will be looking for a big game in his native West Cumbria.

As a Whitehaven boy, and a former 'Haven player, he will want to make an impact against his home-town club's fierce derby rivals.

The 19-year-old Huddersfield Giants half-back had a tough debut in Roughyeds’ 60-4 mauling by Hunslet and like everybody else in the Oldham squad he will be determined to make amends at Derwent Park.

“We’ve got to put Hunslet behind us and prepare for another real battle up there,” said Benson. “Town have a big pack and their pitch is narrow. They will be ready to go, but so will we.”

Roughyeds will field a similar side to last week’s despite the dreadful scoreline. Benson has named a 19-man squad comprising the 17 who played against Hunslet plus Scott Mansfield and Luke Sutton.

Craig Robinson has been suffering this week from a pulled groin and he will have a fitness test tomorrow.

Centre Mick Fogerty, who has had a stomach complaint, was told to rest at home this week —to reduce the risk of infection spreading through the squad —but he is fine now and will play.

Oldham (from): Ashe, Boults, Chandler, Clarke, Ellison, Fogerty, Gillam, Heaton, Hodson, Kerr, Mansfield, McNally, O’Connor, Onyango, Reilly, Robinson, M Roden, Sutton, Whitmore.

Town will be on similar lines to last week when they won 42-24 at Gateshead. Prop Lee Dutton is completing a two match suspension but has had his cartilage cleaned out this week.
Town coach Gary Charlton, who is expecting a back-lash after that horrendous home defeat for Oldham, believes Dutton should be ready to return in a fortnight’s time.
Darren King (knee) and Jack Pedley (shoulder) are also still missing as Town go for their fourth win in a row.

Charlton has asked his players to improve their concentration levels after a disappointing second-half performance.

He said: “We can play some good rugby and then we can totally switch off. It’s a concentration thing. It can’t be anything else.”
Oldham were victims of a 60-4 defeat against Hunslet last week, leaving Charlton to prepare to face a backlash from Tony Benson’s men.

He said: “When you get so many points put on you at home, you can go two ways. You can sulk or you can roll up your sleeves and get on with it. I’m fully expecting Oldham to come out firing on Sunday.”

Roughyeds coach Tony Benson said: “Nobody turned up wanting to play poorly or to concede 60 points, but it has happened and now we have to respond positively when we go to Cumbria.”

---

Bookmark with: what are these?