Roughyeds duo face disciplinary charges

RICHARD LEPORI

AT the end of a traumatic week in the Oldham RL camp, Scott Naylor's woes continued today when it emerged that Richard Lepori and Jack Spencer face disciplinary charges brought by the sport's match review panel.

The Roughyeds pair are alleged to have stepped out of line during the incident-packed Summer Bash derby against Rochdale Hornets at Blackpool.

Full-back Lepori was sin-binned in the 17th minute with Rochdale prop Jo Taira, play re-starting with a penalty to Oldham for what looked like a high tackle on the Italian international.

He's charged with grade 'A' punching which, if he pleads or is found guilty, might lumber him with a one-match ban.

Spencer, whose father Lee surrendered his job as Naylor's No.2 this week, faces a grade 'A' charge of contact with a match official, a similar charge to that on which Lepori won a 'not guilty' verdict a few weeks ago.

Spencer can use an early guilty plea, if he so chooses, but that option is not available to Lepori.

SCHEME
They will be free to play on Sunday against Swinton Lions at Sale RU Club (3pm), but in the normal scheme of things they will then have to answer the charges at a session of the RFL disciplinary body on Tuesday of next week.

A ban would rule them out of the Hull KR game at Bower Fold on Sunday, June 11 - the first of six out of eight home games to the end of the regular season on July 23.

In accordance with club practice in disciplinary matters like these, neither club chairman Chris Hamilton nor head coach Scott Naylor will pass comment ahead of the hearings.

It won't have escaped their attention, however, that Rochdale's Taira, who was penalised and 'binned' with Lepori, was not included among the list of charges released by the RFL.

And, unlike Spencer, Rochdale wingman Rob Massam received only a caution for a similar offence as opposed to a charge.