JOE McKenna has been handed a starting role in Workington Town’s pack for tomorrow’s Co-operative Championship One game at unbeaten Oldham.

The former Barrow forward has figured off the bench this season but gets his chance against the Roughyeds deputising for Jarrad Stack who has returned to Australia for a wedding.

Stack will be back in time for next Sunday’s home game with Blackpool Panthers.

Neil Frazer, who missed last week’s home win over Gateshead Thunder, returns to the wing so Jamie Marshall is back on the bench where he can cover for a variety of positions, including hooker.

One hooker who isn’t available is Darren King, who has only started two games so far, an although recovered from a shoulder injury he suffered at Rochdale is now down with gastroenteritis.

Coach Gary Charlton said: “We have named five lads to select our bench from and we will make a final decision nearer the kick-off.

“It’s a tough game, but Oldham played on Good Friday when they won at Rochdale and we will go in against them the fresher side.

“It was good to get a good win over Gateshead last week to move up into second place in the table but this is a tight, competitive League and things keep changing.”

Town: Carter, Backhouse, Beattie, Low, Frazer, L. Finch, Kaighan, Dutton, Pedley, Coward, McKenna, Whitehead, Coupar. Subs from: Campbell, Butler, McGoff, Wilson and Marshall.

Oldham coach Tony Benson said: “Workington will be confident after 'nilling' Gateshead,.

"I saw them against Rochdale and after a slow start, which may have been something to do with the long coach journey down, they played very well in the second half.

"We are expecting a good game from them."

Town lost 32-24 at Spotland two weeks ago but on Good Friday, Oldham went to Rochdale and won 22-16 for a third successive Co-operative Championship One victory.

However Benson’s men were forced to scrap for the three points every inch of the way.

First-half tries from Matty Ashe, Luke Sutton and Mick Fogerty and three Ashe goals established what looked like a comfortable 18-0 cushion after 22 minutes.

But Hornets stormed back, despite losing two players to serious injury during the opening period. Liam McGovern suffered a suspected ruptured Achilles tendon and Daniel Fleming sustained severe concussion in a collision with Wayne Kerr.

Hornets adopted a determined backs-to-the-wall mindset and a try before half-time from Dean Gorton and two after by Gareth Hayes and Phil Wood, accompanied by two Chris Hough goals, hauled the home side back within two points.

Then came the game-sealing try the Roughyeds needed 12 minutes from full-time, Mark Brocklehurst crossing in the left corner.

“It was all about the Hornets today,” conceded Benson. “They got a couple of reasonably serious injuries and it seemed to spark them up.

“They just kept on coming back at us.

“We were a little bit rusty but I am happy we hung in there and fought to get three points."

Scott Mansfield looks certain to miss Roughyeds’ game against Town at Sedgley Park on Monday (3.00pm kick off).

The young forward damaged an ankle in the later stages of the win at Rochdale on Good Friday and was clearly in a lot of pain as he was carried from the field.

Benson said: “We also have lots of players with bumps and bruises.but with Monday’s game coming up fast I tried to limit the time that some players had on the field. We’ll have to see whats happened over the weekend but with the exception of Scotty I’m hoping everyone else will be okay.”

York  5 3 0 2 179 118 10
South Wales  4 3 0 1 112 59 10
Blackpool  3 3 0 0 132 38 9
Hunslet  4 3 0 1 154 61 9
Oldham  3 3 0 0 89 52 9
Workington  4 2 0 2 120 76 8
Rochdale  5 2 0 3 126 150 7
Swinton  4 2 0 2 114 138 6
Doncaster  5 1 0 4 114 188 5
London Skolars  5 0 0 5 66 202 1
Gateshead  4 1 0 3 50 174 -3
•  Gateshead deducted six points.
 

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