Play-off date set in stone

OLDHAM have confirmed that their biggest game of the season so far, a play-off tie against Rochdale Hornets or London Skolars, will take place at Whitebank a week on Sunday, September 15, with a 3pm kick-off.

“That will apply whether we play Hornets or Skolars,” said club chairman Chris Hamilton.

As a reward for finishing second, and thus topping the play-off five, Roughyeds are the only club who can be fast-tracked to the final on the strength of one win.

It works like this:

September 8: match ‘A’, third-place Rochdale v fourth-place London at Spotland; match ‘B’, fifth-placed Hemel Stags v sixth-placed Oxford at Hemel (loser eliminated).

September 15: match ‘C’, at Whitebank, second-placed Oldham v winners of match ‘A’ (winners through to final); match ‘D’, losers of match ‘A’ v winners of match ‘B’.

September 22: match ‘E’, losers of match ‘C’ v winners of match ‘D’.

September 29: Final, winners of match ‘C’ v winners of match ‘E’.

You can’t rule out Roughyeds having to go head-to-head twice with derby rivals Rochdale, first on September 15 and again in the final on the last Sunday of the month.

The Kingstone Press Championship One final will be one of three staged at Leigh Sports Village on Sunday, September 29, starting with the Conference Centenary Trophy final between amateurs Leigh Miners and Wigan St Patrick’s, followed by the Championship One final (third tier) and concluding with the Championship final (second tier).
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