Screen tests for Oldham

OLDHAM Roughyeds are in for a double dose of live televised coverage next season, with Sky Sports covering the away game at York City Knights and the home clash with London Skolars.

The York game, which pits Championship One title favourites Oldham against a side also expected to challenge strongly for honours at the top end of the table under player-coach Paul March, will now take place on Thursday, June 25 (7.30pm kick off).

The game against London — Oldham coach Tony Benson’s former club — is now to be played on Thursday, August 6 (7.30pm) at Boundary Park, the first time the club from the capital has featured on Sky.

The 2009 campaign will now be the third in succession in which a Roughyeds home fixture has been selected for live broadcast.

The two games featuring the club are among four in The Co-operative Championship One to have been selected for the live treatment across the regular season and chief executive Chris Hamilton is pleased that the club has been recognised in such a way.

“It is fair to say the away game at York has been picked for a reason,” he said.

“From an organisational point of view, it doesn’t make a great deal of difference to us.

“As for the London game, we are delighted to be at home in front of the cameras and we will be looking to get as many people in the ground as possible.”

The Sky Sports coverage next year begins with the clash between Widnes Vikings and The Co-operative Championship newcomers Toulouse Olympique, taking place on Thursday, March 12, at 7.30pm.

Every club in that division will have at least one match in front of the cameras.

The live schedule runs through until Oldham’s game against the Skolars, after which there are only three rounds of matches left for the Roughyeds before the end of the regular season.