Defiant Deakin in rallying call

ROUGHYEDS coach Steve Deakin remained in defiant mood following the latest setback at Doncaster last night.

An improved but still inconsistent display from the visitors at the Keepmoat Stadium, featuring a number of costly individual mistakes in the first half, saw Oldham fall to a third consecutive loss away from home.

The bonus point picked up in the 18-10 reverse at least means that victory by more than 12 points on home soil against Barrow this weekend will leapfrog Oldham into the second automatic promotion spot.

But even that best-case scenario would still leave the South Cumbrian side needing to lose one of their final three matches in order to give the Roughyeds a chance of ending the season higher than third.

Still, despite recent setbacks, Deakin remains focused on the club’s ultimate goal — to reach National League One.

“I don’t really listen to what the critics say, as we have said all along that anybody is capable of beating anybody,” Deakin said.

“Don’t forget, Barrow have got to come to Boundary Park to face us and have to play Keighley as well, so they have got a tough schedule.

“But we can’t look at anybody else, all we can do is look at ourselves. If we have to go through the play-offs, we will go through the play-offs and if we go up automatically, then we will go that way which is the preferred option.

“At the start of the year, everybody wanted us to go up and nothing has changed from that.”

A third-placed finish ensures a home draw against the side finishing fourth — currently Keighley — for the right to progress straight through to the National League Two promotion Grand Final, held this year at Warrington’s Halliwell Jones Stadium on Sunday, September 28.

Paul O’Connor (hip) and Tommy Goulden (suspected broken foot) were the major victims from last night and the pair join Danny Halliwell (ribs) and Matty Brooks (calf) on the injury list.




THE PINK kits worn by Oldham in the match televised by Sky Sports three weeks ago have been put up for auction on Ebay.



The kits comprise the shirts, shorts and socks of the 17 men on duty that night and proceeds from the sales will go to charity. They can be found by searching for ‘Oldham RLFC’.