All-clear for Agoro, but Cookson suffers injury KO

Mo Agoro is set to line up against Hemel Stags on Sunday.

MO Agoro has been cleared to play against Hemel Stags at Whitebank after missing Oldham’s opening-day win in South Wales.

But centre David Cookson may miss the next four or five games with a groin injury: “He might be out for at least a month — a real blow,” said coach Scott Naylor.

A similar injury sidelined Agoro last week, but the winger will be strongly fancied to return to the side in Sunday’s first home game (3pm), though Naylor hasn’t yet rveled his team.

He will pick from 19 — the 17 on duty in the ill-fated game at Maesteg, minus Cookson but with Ben Wood, Agoro and Mark Hobson back in contention.

“If I make changes it won’t have anything to do with our performance last week; more to do with what I think we need to beat Hemel.”

After losing their first two home games in the league last season, Naylor’s new, young squad embarked on a run of 11 wins and a draw in their remaining 13 games of the regular season — a level of consistency the Roughyeds’ boss is keen to produce again.

He added: “We’ve talked a lot about our poor start last year and how important it is that we learn from that and don’t make the same mistakes this time.

“I’d like to think we can pick up at Whitebank where we left off last year and produce a brand of winning rugby our fans enjoy watching.”

Hemel finished a creditable fifth last season, their first at this level, but Roughyeds beat them home and away, 30-12 in Hertfordshire and 26-18 at Whitebank, where the visitors deserved their bonus point.