Roughyeds will take no chances on Turner

SCOTT TURNER

FULL-BACK Scott Turner, who didn't train last night, remains doubtful with a knee injury for Oldham's Kingstone Press Championship game at Batley Bulldogs on Sunday (3pm kick-off).

He was hurt in the 26-26 draw at Rochdale and, as a precaution, he was left out of the side which beat amateurs Haydock 40-12 in the fourth round of the Ladbrokes Challenge Cup.

Turner (pictured) will be assessed again tomorrow, but at this stage he is said to be doubtful for the weekend.

Roughyeds will be taking no chances with him, given that Richard Lepori is a ready-made and in-form replacement, having given two excellent performances, on the wing at Rochdale and at full-back against Haydock, since returning to the club.

On-loan Tuoyo Egodo, who didn't play in the cup, will be pushing for a recall so there will still be selection decisions to be made in the backs even if Turner remains sidelined and George Tyson stays in the second-row position.

The double-barrelled threat of Kieran Gill and Tyson on the left edges looked a natural fit and well worthy of being developed when used for the first time in the cup-tie.

Scott Naylor will face a similar dilemma in the forwards where Liam Thompson and on-loan new boy Liam Bent will be added to the selection mix alongside the ten (six starters and four replacements) who played against Haydock. Said the Oldham coach: "We've one or two bumps and bruises, but apart from Scott Turner and the long-term injured I expect to have everyone available.

"And I still don't know whether we'll be offered dual-reg lads from Huddersfield."

Of his side's tough fifth-round Ladbrokes Challenge Cup tie against Featherstone away, Naylor said: "We'll go with lots of confidence, having performed well there both last season and this.

"Rochdale narrowly beat them over there after we had narrowly failed, so there's no reason why we can't, at the very least, produce another good show at 'The Big Fellas' next month."