Howay the lads!

HAVING seen his men go for 80 minutes against South Wales Scorpions without conceding a try, Scott Naylor will be demanding another massive defensive effort from Oldham at Gateshead on Sunday.

He will need no reminding that Roughyeds have lost two of their last three away games, letting in 38 points at Hunslet and 44 at Hemel.

But the response from players to a talking-to was immediate: their enthusiasm in defence was so intense Skorpions never got a serious sniff of the Oldham line.

The challenge is for Roughyeds to play like that away from home too - starting in the North-East against a new-look Thunder outfit that will pose a more formidable threat.

The Gateshead side will on Sunday bear little resemblance to the team hammered 52-16 at Whitebank in April.

A month ago they were bought out by Premiership rugby union club Newcastle Falcons, and almost immediately money was available for the squad to be strengthened. The new owners are looking for a play-off place this season and promotion to the next level.

Thunder will stay at the Gateshead stadium this season before a likely move to the Falcons’ Kingston Park home next year.

Of the starting line-up hammered at Whitebank, only six players were still in the side last week: centre Joe Brown, winger Jacob Blades, half-back Matty Beharrell and forwards Ricky Hough, Sonny Esslemont and Jason Payne.