Roberts lines up Roughyeds return

ROB ROBERTS: Battling to be fit for weekend.

ROUGHYEDS captain Robert Roberts will do everything in his power to get back into the side for this weekend.

The big second row man is set to crank up his recovery at training tonight, putting injured ribs to the test in a bid to make it back into the side after missing the last four games.

Roberts’ picked up the rib cartilage problem early on in Oldham’s first league defeat of the season at Keighley.

And, following the side’s recent 36-12 home loss to Dewsbury, the 29-year-old is dying to pull on his boots again to provide some on-field guidance against Swinton.

“The aim is to be ready for Sunday, most definitely,” said Roberts, who was given no option by medical experts but to let his injury run its course.

“I did a bit of contact work earlier this week and was a bit tentative at first because if it was to go again, I would be looking at a similar amount of time on the sidelines.

“But have had no reaction since and I will go a bit harder at it tonight.

“I have been kicking my heels for five weeks now and have had enough of just watching the team play.

“After the Dewsbury game the boys need a bit of a lift and hopefully with my experience I can help to bring that.”

Swinton arrive at Boundary Park for Sunday’s game unbeaten in four games, but Roberts is convinced that the Roughyeds can end that run and get the promotion campaign back on an even keel.

“Everyone knows we have the squad to do it,” he added.

“Looking back at the video of the Dewsbury game, they defended really well and probably won’t defend as well as they did again all season.

“We had a team get-together earlier this week and know where we need to put things right. It wasn’t a crisis meeting though, more a case of just looking at how we can improve, and now we have to go out and do that.”