Naylor has respect for Skolars

WARNING SHOT . . . Oldham coach Scott Naylor.

SCOTT Naylor is adamant that Kingstone Press Championship One has improved greatly since Hemel Stags, Oxford and Gloucester All Golds entered the competition last season.

Each of the clubs is stronger and more resilient this time round in a division that has also become more competitive thanks to the inclusion of Hunslet Hawks and York City Knights, both relegated from the Championship.

The Oldham boss believes Gloucester, who finished bottom in 2013, will be in the top-five play-off under the stewardship of new coach Steve McCormack.

The popular view is that Oldham, York and Hunslet will qualify, to be joined by any two from Hemel, Oxford, Gloucester, Gateshead and London Skolars.

Gateshead have high hopes since they were taken over last week by Newcastle Rugby Ltd, the company owned by Newcastle Falcons chairman Semore Kurdi.

With only one team going up via the play-offs, eight of the nine clubs in the division harbour what they perceive to be realistic ambitions of winning promotion, including the Skolars from London, who come to Whitebank on Sunday.

Hit by injuries, they have not won since mid-April and they have been beaten in their last three games by York, Gateshead and Gloucester.

But they are back to full strength now and Naylor has not forgotten that, on his own admission, Roughyeds were fortunate to return from North London in March with three league points from an 18-16 win.

Variously describing Sunday's return game as "one to worry about" and "a potential banana skin", the Oldham boss says Skolars will be much stronger than in recent games.