Hornets favour for Roughyeds

A HEAVY defeat for Doncaster at Rochdale last night helped firm up Oldham’s top-three berth in National League Two.

Ellery Hanley’s side were thumped 50-8 by a resurgent Hornets outfit who ran in eight tries at Spotland, condemning the visitors to a fifth loss in nine games.

With seven matches still to cram in before the end of August, Doncaster — tipped by many in pre-season for a top-two finish — appear to be heading south in terms of form just as the season reaches its climax.

Well beaten in the televised game at Boundary Park two weeks ago, the sixth-placed South Yorkshire side now sit 11 points behind Oldham, in third, with two games in hand.

The teams meet again at the Keepmoat Stadium on Wednesday.

By then, Steve Deakin’s side will already have slipped into an automatic promotion place, should a Gateshead win by more than 12 points at Barrow on Saturday evening be followed up by a Roughyeds triumph at in-form York City Knights.

Jason Boults is expected to be back in contention for a spot in the front row for that fixture after recovering from a knee injury and Adam Robinson could make it after suffering from a similar complaint.

Neil Roden is also likely to come back in at stand-off, while Mick Nanyn should get over the dead leg which forced him from the field during the 30-28 win over Keighley at the weekend.

It means that a total of 22 fit players are now available, ahead of a make-or-break period in which the Roughyeds play three times in eight days.

A home match against Barrow on Sunday, August 10, follows the York and Doncaster clashes.