Training boost for Roughyeds

WITH the opening game of the season away at Widnes only three days away, Oldham have finally managed to nail down a field session.

Tony Benson and his squad have only managed around a half-dozen sessions working with ball in hand since the start of pre-season training in early November last year, with the cold snap playing havoc with plans over the past two weeks.

Even last night, the club were faced with a race against time to find a suitable venue.

The originally-booked surface was frozen and an alternative had to be checked out before it was declared fit, resulting in a delay to the scheduled start time.

On the injuries front, Richard Mervill (knee) and Gary Sykes (knee ligaments) are both out of contention for the Friday night visit to the Stobart Stadium.

There are possible debuts lined up for prop forward Paul Highton and Irish half-back or hooker Stevie Gibbons.

Oldham’s Co-operative Championship One rivals Keighley picked up an impressive 40-20 home win over last season’s National League Two champions Gateshead last night, Jon Presley claiming a hat-trick of tries to help turn round a 14-12 half-time deficit at Cougar Park.

With every match in the competition falling victim to frozen pitches at the weekend, the rearranged game was the first to be played in this season’s Northern Rail Cup.

UNCOLLECTED season tickets can be picked up from the club offices on Lansdowne Road up until 5pm on Friday, or next week up until 4.30pm on Wednesday, February 18 - the date of the Hornets home game.

They can also be collected from the ticket office at Boundary Park from 5.30pm on the night of that match. Receipts are needed.