Oldham’s amateurs Cup tester

OLDHAM were paired with giant killers Sharlston Rovers for the third time in six years when the draw for the third round of the Carnegie Challenge Cup was made last night.

Tony Benson's side are to take on the Wakefield-based Pennine League premier division side, who beat National Conference League premier division side Leigh East to get to this stage, at Boundary Park on Sunday, March 8 (3pm kick off).

"We know they are a decent side who have taken scalps before in the competition," said Roughyeds chief executive Chris Hamilton.

"They will be tough opposition and we know they will come here to give it a good go."

The two teams last met in the competition in the third round of 2005, Oldham coming away from a game played at the home of Featherstone Rovers with a 46-14 victory.

That game came only a year after the Roughyeds had defeated Rovers 24-4 in the fourth round at Boundary Park — a stage the amateur side reached following a famous 30-28 win over Dewsbury Rams.

Elsewhere in the draw, local amateurs Saddleworth Rangers have landed a plum tie away at Co-operative Championship full-timers Widnes Vikings.

No date or kick off time has yet been fixed for that game at the Stobart Stadium, which pits Keith Brennan's side against a Vikings outfit currently without a coach following the dismissal of Steve McCormack.

There are two all-Co-operative Championship ties, with Barrow at home to Blackpool and Whitehaven travelling to Gateshead, while Russians Lokomotiv Moscow are away at Leigh.

Full draw for the third round of the Carnegie Challenge Cup (ties to be played on the weekend of March 7-8):

Siddal v Swinton; York City Knights v Wigan St Patrick's; Featherstone Rovers v The Army; Queens v Doncaster; Pilkington Recs v Batley; Barrow v Blackpool; Gateshead v Whitehaven; Workington v Lezignan; Leigh Centurions v Lokomotiv Moscow; Oldham v Sharlston; Sheffield Eagles v Toulouse; Leeds Met Carnegie v Rochdale Hornets; Widnes Vikings v Saddleworth; Wath Brow Hornets v London Skolars; Keighley v Pia; Kells v Hunslet; Halifax v Loughborough University; Dewsbury v Carcassonne.