Midweek date for Whitehaven

OLDHAM Roughyeds hope to squeeze in all three warm-up matches before the Northern Rail Cup kicks off at the end of this month.

After two postponements, the revised plan is for away games at Batley, Whitehaven and Rochdale to take place in an eight-day period — leaving Tony Benson’s men with an away game in Cumbria a week on Wednesday as part of the commitment to provide opposition for Howard Hill’s testimonial.

“Going up to Whitehaven in midweek at this time of year isn’t ideal,” said Oldham chairman Chris Hamilton.

“But we hope the weather will enable the game to go ahead on Wednesday, January 20, with an 8pm kick-off.

“Like all clubs we are anxious for the weather to improve so that we can play our friendlies and return to training schedules that are not disrupted, but the forecast is for the cold snap to continue for the next few days.”

The game at Batley Bulldogs on Sunday (2pm) was originally going to be the third of the three friendlies, with a blank Sunday planned for January 24 leading up to the start of the season proper with the trip to Leigh Centurions in the Northern Rail Cup a week later.

The Law Cup game at Rochdale, initially scheduled for Sunday, January 3, has been called off twice and now takes place on Sunday, January 24 at Spotland (kick-off 3pm).

The game at Whitehaven also fell victim to the weather, but clubs are desperate to see some pre-season action hence the decision to try again on Wednesday of next week.

Whitehaven also plan to play three games over the same eight-day period, taking on Huddersfield Giants on Sunday and Leeds Rhinos on the following weekend.