Home fans focus on Ford

Scott Naylor: the Oldham RL coach is expected to make minor changes for Sunday’s home clash.

ALL eyes will be on dual-registration youngster Jon Ford when Oldham RL go for their third win in four games at Whitebank on Sunday (1pm kick-off).

Opponents Gateshead Thunder were beaten 34-16 in the Northern Rail Cup at the same venue in March and Roughyeds will be aiming for a repeat.

Nineteen-year-old Ford, is contracted to Salford City Reds for three years and tipped for the top.

The tall centre scored in a Northern Rail defeat by North Wales at Wrexham on the opening day of the

season and surfaced again at Hemel Stags seven games and 10 weeks later, forming a potent left-flank strike force with hat-trick winger Dale Bloomfield.

Last year he toured Australia with England Academy.

He trained with Roughyeds last night, after which coach Scott Naylor said: “Ford will definitely be with us again on Sunday.

“Jon looked a class act at Hemel and he will be keen to play well again on his Whitebank debut.”

Half-back Danny Whitmore, on loan from Batley, also impressed on debut last time out and will also be keen to show up well.

The line-up won’t be announced until the players report for the third session of the week tomorrow morning.

Naylor said it would be “very similar” to the last game, although fans could expect minor changes, caused by his squad rotation policy.

Naylor is urging his men to continue their emphasis on solid defence after conceding just 58 points in four games.

Naylor said: “We’ve worked hard on our defence and we’ve improved loads since the Northern Rail Cup.

“It’s also about scoring points. I wasn’t happy with our attack against Oxford, but we played with a lot more attacking freedom at Hemel and hopefully that will continue.”

Fans should note the 1pm kick-off time.