Under-20s return for Thompson

LIAM Thompson, who hasn’t played since he smashed his cheekbone in early March, is closing in on his return to Roughyeds.

Highly-rated Thommo travelled to Oxford as 18th man. Coach Scott Naylor later confirmed the 22 year old will play for the under-20s (over-age players are used by mutual consent) against Halifax at Whitebank on Saturday, hopefully making himself available for Oldham’s big July programme.

After games on seven successive Sundays, Naylor has given his first-team players a few days off in advance of a blank weekend.

After that they play Gloucester at home, York away and Hunslet at home before the end of next month.

“We’ve had a demanding seven or eight weeks, but we’ve got a short break now in which we can recharge the batteries,” said the Oldham coach.

Oldham share top spot with York, second only with an inferior for-and-against record, before a four-point gap to Hunslet in third. The Hawks crashed at home to Gloucester.