Crunch time for the Roughyeds

Paul O’Connor reckons the Roughyeds are raring to go.

OLDHAM face a stiff test of their promotion credentials when in-form Doncaster visit Boundary Park.

The National League Two qualifying semi-final has the two pre-season title favourites going head-to-head for a passage through to the Grand Final at the end of the month.

Even with a superb home record — so far, it is 19 wins in a row with no defeats in 2008 — Roughyeds full-back Paul O’Connor is aware his team will need to be at their best to once again outgun Ellery Hanley’s men.

A pretty-in-pink 36-16 televised home win over the Dons is balanced out by an 18-10 defeat away from home and O’Connor knows what to expect.

“They were both difficult games, even the one we won, though that may not have been reflected in the score line,” he said.

“They are a side that plays the percentages, not making many errors. That means that we can’t afford to either, or we just won’t see the ball.

“Their forwards are tough and they run hard and strong so we will have to be a match for them there, while their backs, including Zeb Luisi, are a threat.”

Oldham haven’t played since defeating Workington 40-16 on Sunday, August 24, and while O’Connor isn’t completely convinced such a gap between matches is a good thing, he is sure that his side will enter the game in determined mood for a number of reasons.

“The break has been good from the point of view of people getting over knocks, but we won’t be able to tell until Sunday whether it will affect us on the field,” he said.

“We could be rusty. You can do all the work you want in training, but you can’t replicate a match-day.

“But we have shown a good attitude in training and hopefully it will work to our advantage.

“It has also given us a chance to really think about the game. Three weeks is the longest time we have had without a game since pre-season, so everybody is really raring to go now.

“Everyone wants to get straight through to the Grand Final, but we are not taking anything for granted.

“We have been understated in our approach, going about things quietly. We are not talking it up and don’t want to play the game in our heads.

“At the moment a lot of futures are in doubt, whether people are playing for contracts at Oldham or elsewhere.

“Everybody has personal issues and they are all unique. But no matter what happens, everybody wants to finish the season on a high by winning the Grand Final.

“The mood is positive and hopefully we can do that.”

One player who is definitely leaving for pastures new next season is Mick Nanyn, who is headed south for Super League side Harlequins.

He will be joined there by Dons half-back Luke Gale, who has also made the move to join Brian McDermott’s side.

Gale, who has scored a club record 27 tries this season, will hope to inspire a side that has ended the season strongly.

After being thrashed 50-8 at Rochdale, Doncaster have played out six games in August — the fixture pile-up was caused by their run to the Northern Rail Cup final — winning five of them.

That streak included the hard-fought home victory over Oldham, when gritty defence on behalf of both sides provided an absorbing spectacle, and a 40-20 victory over already-promoted Barrow at the Keepmoat Stadium.

The South Yorkshire club ended up finishing fourth, thanks to a 52–4 demolition job on bottom-of-the-table Hunslet.

The loser of this game will be at home in seven days’ time to the winner of the Keighley-Rochdale play-off tie, for the right to progress to the final at Warrington’s Halliwell Jones Stadium, taking place on Sunday, September 28.