Goulden aims to prove point

TOMMY GOULDEN: Wary of Cougars threat.

OLDHAM have a point to prove on Sunday, according to Tommy Goulden.

The Roughyeds go to Cougar Park, the home of Keighley Cougars, looking to make it back-to-back wins in Co-operative Championship One.

And the second row, who made such a big impact in stirring Oldham from their slumbers against Blackpool Panthers last weekend, can’t wait for Sunday’s showdown (kick-off 3pm).

He explained: “Whether it’s the pitch or the atmosphere, Cougar Park seems to be everyone’s bogey ground.

“They beat us at their place last season and that probably cost us automatic promotion, so we’ll go there with a point to prove.

“Although they haven’t qualified for the knock-out stages of the Northern Rail Cup, they have still beaten some good sides in Gateshead and Hunslet.

“We’ll need to be focused right from the off, because they are very good on their day.”

Keighley’s 26-12 defeat of Oldham almost 12 months ago did not come as a surprise as the Roughyeds, under then coach Steve Deakin, had been an accident waiting to happen.

Oldham’s travelling faithful suffered more pain at Cougar Park a year earlier when they threw away an 18-8 lead.

They will need to be on their ‘A’ game against Barry Eaton’s boys, who have high hopes of breaking into the top three.

Goulden is hoping the Roughyeds have learned their lesson from Sunday’s win over Blackpool when they trailed 18-4 at the break, only to post 32 unanswered points in the second half.

The former Rochdale Hornets player came off the bench to score Oldham’s first try in the fightback win — a bulldozing effort in the left-hand corner — and was most people’s stand-out performer.

Goulden said: “We are a new team and still learning, but we got there eventually.

“I did alright when I came on, but I probably deserved to be ‘benched’ after my previous performance (against Sharlston Rovers in the Challenge Cup).

“The Northern Rail Cup has been used as a warm-up and we haven’t fielded the same side week in, week out.

“None of us have been playing that red-hot, but the league has always been the target. We’ve started with a win, so hopefully we can now push on.”

Keighley have endured mixed fortunes in 2009.

Two wins and two defeats in their Northern Rail Cup programme — they lost to Blackpool and Barrow Raiders — meant they just missed out on a top-four place in pool one.

But they are looking forward to a Challenge Cup fourth round tie against Castleford Tigers after an excellent 30-24 win over top French side Pia.

A lengthy injury list has hindered Eaton’s early-season plans.

With new signing Craig Brown (broken hand) and Andy Schickell (torn knee ligament) sidelined and Brendan Rawlins having been held up in obtaining a visa — he is booked on a flight from Australia next Friday — Cougars are shorn of three frontline props.

But with their record against Oldham at Cougar Park such as it stands,

Benson will not be underestimating the task that lies ahead for his team.