Fans can cheer us to glory

WHAT A FEELING . . . Paul Reilly celebrates his second try against York and is hoping for more of the same on Sunday.

CONFIDENCE is sky-high as Oldham aim for the stars this weekend.

A third successive play-off final awaits, with Keighley Cougars providing stiff opposition in the Co-operative National League One play-off decider at the Halliwell Jones Stadium, Warrington, on Sunday (3.05pm kick-off).

While the club has been the bridesmaid on each of the three appearances on such occasions — losing in 2001 to Widnes and more recently to Featherstone and Doncaster — there is a genuine sense this time that 2009 will be the Roughyeds' year.

The renaissance of Paul Reilly mirrors that of the team as a whole.

Having battled through an up-and-down season marred by injuries, the former Huddersfield full-back has enjoyed a decent run in the side of late — and the experienced 33-year-old has responded with a series of wholehearted and extremely effective performances in his preferred full-back role.

"I am really starting to enjoy my rugby again and it has been a long time since I have been able to say that because of injuries," admitted Reilly, who has suffered a variety of knocks this season.

"It is nice to have that feeling of looking forward to pulling the boots on again."

Two tries from the ex-Giants star helped Oldham dismiss York in superb fashion away from home last week, the performance in the 44-14 win bettering even the impressive 54-30 home victory over Hunslet in the previous week's play-off tie.

Against Keighley it will be tough. The Cougars have completed a league double over Oldham this season, winning 34-26 at home and 24-22 at Boundary Park.

But Reilly believes that if the team performs as it did against York, the backing of the fans will help finish the season off in style.

"At York, as the game went on the supporters packed into one side of the stand and the noise was fantastic — you would have thought we were playing at home," he said.

"Yes, Keighley have beaten us twice this season. But so had York and look what happened there.

"This is a final and it is totally different to a league match.

"I sense a really positive atmosphere and confidence around the squad right now for the first time.

"But in the changing rooms before the game I will be emphasising that this is a 50-50 game and we need to concentrate fully on it.

"I am not an Oldham boy, but I can sense the appetite for the game in the town.

"After so many years of disappointment I really hope I can help achieve promotion with the club and pay back in some part those fans who have supported the club through such tough times."

FOURTH TIME LUCKY?
This is Oldham's fourth play-off final since the formation of the new club in 1997, but up to this point the club is without a win: 2001 — Widnes 24, Oldham 14.

After finishing fourth in a 19-team Northern Ford Premiership under the stewardship of player-coach Mike Ford, Oldham finished behind Leigh, Widnes and Rochdale but went on to win at both Hilton Park and Spotland in the play-offs to progress to the Grand Final.

But an early lead gained through a Keith Brennan try was swiftly wiped out by the Vikings, who held a 24-4 lead before late efforts from Ford and Kevin Mannion, and went on to successfully gain entry to Super League.

2007 — Featherstone 24, Oldham 6.

Arriving at Headingley thanks to a big push in the latter half of the season, boosted by signings like Adam Hughes — who scored a hat-trick in a memorable play-off win away at Barrow to put the Roughyeds into the final — confidence was high.

But little went right for coach Steve Deakin on the day. From the moment winger Byron Ford tweaked a hamstring early in the first half, Oldham were up against it and, despite taking a first-half lead thanks to a long-range Hughes try, the Post Office Road side were too strong on the day.

2008 — Doncaster 18, Oldham 10.

Missing out on automatic promotion by a single bonus point cast something of a shadow over the Roughyeds' play-off campaign. Against the same South Yorkshire opposition, Steve Deakin's side lost 32-20 at home in the qualifying semi-final and only got to Warrington thanks to a home victory over Rochdale seven days earlier.

The theme of 'what might have been' continued in a showpiece match in which the Roughyeds were never in true control despite holding a 6-2 lead at half-time.