Craig is man on a mission

MAKING THE RUNNING . . . Craig Robinson (left) is determined to make an impact against leaders Dewsbury on Sunday.

OLDHAM'S Craig Robinson is hoping to land a knock-out blow of his own on Dewsbury this weekend.

The 23-year-old, used as a prop forward by coach Tony Benson in the Roughyeds' last five outings, was left seeing stars after a collision with Scott Law in the very first hit-up of the game against Keighley last week.

"I didn't know what happened," he said. "I was out — it felt like only a couple of seconds, but people have said I was down for two minutes.

"I know the lad I hit and he said that my head went straight into his shoulder.

“I shook it off and carried on playing, though I was all over the place for the first five minutes after that."

Robinson recovered his composure to play his part in a big-hearted comeback by Oldham, who were forced to play with 12 men for most of the game after Thomas Coyle's first-half sending off.

Though the game ultimately ended in a 24-22 defeat — a fourth loss in the last seven games — Robinson hopes the spirit shown, exemplified by his own geeing-up of the pack late on at Boundary Park, can be on display from the start against the unbeaten Co-operative Championship One leaders at the Tetley's Stadium.

"We lost the game but there were huge positives in there," said Robinson, who hopes to line up against his brother and former Roughyeds forward Adam on Sunday.

"The attitude and enthusiasm really showed and that is something we may have been lacking previously.

"I think we can win over at Dewsbury. We have got the quality in the team to do it and it would be great to end their unbeaten run.

"From our point of view, we are looking to change our recent run of results as we need that second-placed finish in the league.

"I know a few of their lads and it does make me more determined to do well.

“Plus, with us losing home and away to Keighley, we don't want another side doing the double over us."

Oldham were defeated in the first encounter between the two sides this season, 36-12 in April.

Despite starting the game positively — albeit without looking like penetrating a sturdy Rams defence on too many occasions — the Roughyeds conceded four first-half tries to trail 22-0 at the break.

Reducing the score to 22-12 thanks to converted tries from Paul Highton and Lee Greenwood, both goaled by Andy Ballard, Oldham sniffed a comeback just after the hour.

But the gap was too great and Warren Jowitt's men took command again with two further scores to strengthen a grip on top spot which hasn't loosened since.

Dewsbury's second try of that afternoon arrived through the sizeable frame of second rower Andy Bostock.

The powerful 24-year-old has been in great form this season, scoring a total of 16 tries in the league, and has reportedly attracted attention from Super League clubs as a result.

If Dewsbury win this and their next game — they are at Keighley in a televised game on Thursday — then the Co-operative Championship One title, and the promotion that goes with it, is all but assured.

For Oldham, currently in third behind Keighley, a victory over the runaway leaders would do wonders in terms of the quest to end the season in second, securing a home tie in the play-offs.