Naylor’s chance to use his squad

Date published: 04 August 2015


SCOTT Naylor will have tough decisions to make when selecting his Oldham side for Sunday afternoon's game at Hemel Stags.

He firmly believes there are benefits in squad rotation, and given five remaining league games, this might be the time to ring changes.

The six who haven't figured in wins against North Wales Crusaders and Keighley Cougars are forwards Richard Joy, new boys Will Hope and Elliot Liku and backs David Hewitt, Tom Dempsey and Tom Ashton.

Changes might be forced on Naylor depending on the fitness of wingers Adam Clay and Jack Holmes, who were injured last Sunday. Ashton (23), a former Sheffield Eagles centre who damaged knee ligaments in only his second game for Roughyeds in April, is thought to be close to a comeback.

Naylor will also want to look at Hope and Liku - sooner rather than later.



Remaining fixtures of the eight clubs chasing five play-off spots:

OLDHAM (28 points, five to play): Hemel (a), Newcastle (a), Barrow (h), Swinton (h), Oxford (a).

YORK (24 points, six to play): Oxford (h), London Skolars (a), North Wales (h), Hemel (h), North Wales (a), Barrow (h).

KEIGHLEY (24 points, six to play): London Skolars (a), South Wales (a), Barrow (h), Rochdale (a), Gloucester (a), Hemel (h).

NORTH WALES (23 points, six to play): Rochdale (a), Swinton (h), London (a), York (h), Newcastle (a), York (a).

SWINTON (23 points, six to play): London (h), North Wales (a), Gloucester (h), Oldham (a), South Wales (h), Oxford (h).

ROCHDALE (22 points, five to play): North Wales (h), Oxford (a), Keighley (h), Barrow (a), London (h).

BARROW (22 points, five to play): Coventry (h), Keighley (a), Oldham (a), Rochdale (h), York (a).

NEWCASTLE (18 points, five to play): Gloucester (a), Oldham (h), Coventry (h), South Wales (a), North Wales (h).