Roughyeds out to write their name in lights

WIN or lose, Oldham will light up Whitebank in tonight’s iPro Sport Cup semi-final against North Wales Crusaders.

It will be the first time a competitive senior game has been played under lights in the Roughyeds’ four and a half seasons there. To mark the occasion the club has hired three sets of tower lights to boost the existing floodlighting and give fans a better view.

Swinton Lions beat Newcastle Thunder 36-28 in the other semi-final last night to book their place in the final at Blackpool on May 23 during the RFL’s Summer Bash weekend for Championship clubs.

Said Oldham chairman Chris Hamilton: “League One clubs have really embraced this new cup competition. We are proud to be in the semi-final in its inaugural year - and we’ll be even prouder if we win tonight.”

Coach Scott Naylor has announced a 19-man squad with no injuries. On-loan centre Jon Ford is ineligible: he wasn’t signed in time to play in the first two rounds.

Said Naylor: “It’s a massive incentive to include the final in ‘Summer Bash’ We’d love to be part of the big day.

“Crusaders are favourites for both cup and league so we’ll need to be at our best tonight .”

The challenge for the Welsh side is to become the first visiting team to win at Whitebank since September, 2013.