Roughyeds hit by Sykes blow

GARY SYKES is out for a minimum of a month with medial knee ligament damage.

The former Wigan and Swinton hooker picked up the injury during the friendly with Leigh and is now set to miss at least the Roughyeds’ first three Northern Rail Cup matches.

Sykes joins Jason Boults (elbow), Chris Baines (sternum), Craig Littler (ankle), Robert Roberts (sciatica), Richard Mervill (knee) and Paul Highton (wrist) in being ruled out of this Sunday’s friendly at Barrow (2pm kick-off).

Coach Tony Benson’s medical team are also set to check later in the week on the fitness of Tommy Goulden (foot), Lee Greenwood (thigh), Paul O’Connor (groin) and Danny Halliwell (knee), though Paul Reilly is expected to be ready for the weekend after missing the 28-20 defeat at Leigh with a knock to the shoulder suffered at work.

Despite the lengthy list of injury worries, Benson remains upbeat.

“I would rather face a situation like this now, rather than later,” said the Roughyeds coach, who confirmed that Roberts’ discomfort with his sciatic nerve is unrelated to his previous back problems.

“We will be taking our strongest possible side to Barrow and we will be going all out to win, as we do every time we take the field.”

SADDLEWORTH Rangers have landed a home draw against Castleford Lock Lane in the second round of the Carnegie Challenge Cup, at Shaw Hall Bank Road on Saturday, February 14.

Second round draw: Wigan St Patrick’s v West Hull, Widnes St Maries v Queens, Wath Brow Hornets v Hull Dockers or Ovenden, Kells v Castleford Panthers or Leigh Miners Rangers, Wigan St Jude’s v Pilkington Recs, Siddal or Thatto Heath v West Bowling, Crosfields or Sharlston Rovers v Leigh East, Saddleworth Rangers v Castleford Lock Lane, Loughborough University v Royal Navy, Leeds Met Carnegie v Edinburgh Eagles, Featherstone Lions v The Army.

MICK HOUGH, a stalwart of the local amateur scene, has died aged 54 after a battle against cancer.

Mick played for Waterhead, Lancashire, Great Britain amateurs and Mansfield and was more recently a scout for Wigan Warriors.