Fans can make all the difference - Naylor

LET’S MAKE SOME NOISE: Scott Naylor is looking to the Oldham RL fans to spur his side on to success in 2015, starting with Sunday’s clash against Coventry.

SCOTT Naylor believes Oldham fans could play a significant role in what he believes will be a “terrific” season at Whitebank.

Anticipating lots of games that will be in the balance to the 80th minute, the Roughyeds coach says

supporters can tip the balance Oldham’s way - especially at Whitebank.

“We need them to back us in numbers and, in tight games, to help us to get across the line,” said Naylor.. “They can make all the difference.”

Though the new, 14-club Kingstone Press League One doesn’t start until Easter, Naylor’s men face an important March, kicking off with Sunday’s first-round League One Cup clash with new boys Coventry Bears (3pm) and then meeting the same side a week later in the Ladbrokes Challenge Cup.

Naylor is wary of the unknown: “We should have learned a lesson from what Oxford did to us in similar circumstances two years ago in one of my early games in charge,” he said.

“We know little about them and that makes them dangerous. In pre-season they ran Hemel close and then won at Gloucester, so they’ll be up for it.

“We could have won each of our three friendlies, but we’ll still have to play a whole lot better if we are to achieve our goals in league and cup.

“We know what we need to do in order to improve. There’s nothing we can’t fix, so it isn’t a big problem.”

Naylor is delighted to have signed Nathan Mason from partner club Huddersfield Giants on season-long loan, believing that the Oldhamer will play a hugely significant role in anything Roughyeds achieve over the next eight months.

He says the young prop is looking more like a Super League player every day and another season in the

rough-and-tumble of League One will be an important part of his graduation into the elite competition with the Giants.



OLDHAM RL captain Lewis Palfrey has thrown his hat into the ring for Sunday’s clash after being cleared to start his comeback following a hernia operation.

Danny Langtree (hamstring) and Richard Joy (fractured eye socket) are ruled out of this first competitive game of the season, but Liam Thompson (shoulder) has come through and is set to play.

Naylor will choose from the following 19:

Backs: Clay, Dempsey, Nield, Palfrey, Holmes, Roper, Ward, Forwards: Neal, Crowley, Files, Gee, Hughes, P Joy, Thompson, Tyson, Michael Ward, Owen, Mason, Learmonth,

The second-round draw will be made live on BBC Radio Cumbria at 5pm on Sunday. Ties will be played on the weekend of March 14-15.