Allen set to sit out Widnes tie

DAVID ALLEN: Unlikely to be risked tomorrow.

A RAFT of Roughyeds players are set to make comebacks in the Widnes game on Friday night — but ex-Viking David Allen is unlikely to be one of them.

The second row forward hobbled out of the most recent friendly at Barrow with a back injury, thought to have come about originally as a consequence of the impact of training on artificial surfaces rather than grass.

A final decision will be made at training tonight and, though the injury is not serious, Allen probably won’t be risked at this stage.

Captain Robert Roberts is likely to take his place at loose forward and there could also be roles for other experienced players returning from injuries such as new signings Lee Greenwood and Paul Highton, plus Danny Halliwell, Phil Joseph, Neil Roden and Tommy Goulden, as Oldham bid to turn the tables on the competition favourites, who operate the only full-time squad outside of Super League.

Stevie Gibbons, the 25-year-old Ireland international who signed for the club last week, was set to start the postponed Rochdale game at the weekend and may now make his debut on Friday instead.

The second game in Oldham’s Northern Rail Cup group one was played out last night, with Co-operative Championship side Sheffield Eagles — who visit Boundary Park on Sunday, February 22 — defeating Hunslet Hawks 38-16 at the Don Valley Stadium to edge in front of Keighley in the standings.

Former Roughyeds hooker Matty Brooks weighed in with a pair of tries.