Dale aims to be Blooming marvellous

DALE Bloomfield's personal target in his second season at Whitebank is to be Oldham RL's top try-scorer.

The former Rochdale winger has established an early lead with five from seven games. He also scored in the first two games against South Wales Scorpions and Hemel Stags to show he means business in his quest to beat his 11 for 2013. That figure put him fourth behind Jon Ford (21), Adam Files (15) and Richard Lepori (12) – two backs who are no longer at the club and a hooker, Files, who has missed the last four matches with a knee injury and may well be sidelined for a few more weeks.

"As a winger, try-scoring is a big part of my job and it's what I like doing best," said 26-year-old Bloomfield, who scored 30 in two seasons at Spotland and won a place in the 2011 Championship One team of the year.

Oldham's early-season leaders are Bloomfield (five), Kenny Hughes (four) and Josh Crowley, Danny Langtree and Steven Nield, each on three.

Having drawn a blank at Hunslet on Good Friday, Bloomfield is keen to add to his try tally against Tony Benson's Oxford at Whitebank on May 4.

Not only are Roughyeds determined to avenge last season's 18-16 loss in the corresponding fixture, but 'Bloomers' will be going head to head with two more of the division's top finishers in Sean Morris and Michael Crabtree.