Cup clash return for duo

MARCUS ST HILAIRE and Saqib Murtza are lined up for a return to Roughyeds ranks for tonight’s Northern Rail Cup clash with Hornets RL at Sedgley Park (8 o’clock kick-off).

Coach Tony Benson has included the duo — absent for the 24-12 loss at Leigh Centurions — in his 21-man squad which also adds Scott Mansfield and Mark Brocklehurst to the ranks.

St Hilaire had been battling to overcome a long-standing hamstring complaint and only played in one of the team’s three pre-season warm-up games while Murtza, who hurt a shoulder at Whitehaven, is expected to come through a late check.

Other injury worries hang over winger Lucas Onyango (hamstring), loose forward Valu Bentley (hamstring) and scrum-half Matty Ashe (groin). All will be assessed today.

“Apart from the Law Cup game against Hornets, when we fielded a very young side, this will be our first game against a team from the same division, so it will be a good test as well as a pointer for the league,” said Benson.

“There will be lots of derby passion — we saw that in the Law Cup — and we are looking forward to it.”

Hornets counterpart John Stankevitch, who will select from a squad of 20, said: “It should be a thriller. We will endeavour to put Oldham under pressure and play expansive rugby.

“Our programme so far has suffered disruption, but it’s now down to the players to go out and perform — and that is something they have been waiting for all winter.”

Oldham (from): O’Connor, Onyango, Littler, Brocklehurst, St Hilaire, Fogerty, Gillam, N Roden, Whitmore, Ashe, Boults, Mellor, M Roden, Ellison, Kerr, Chandler, Mansfield, Clarke, Bentley, Saqib, Heaton.

Hornets (from): Johnson, Fagborun, Samuel, Bloomfield, Smith, Roper, Powell, Raftery, Wood, Cookson, Hayes, Tunstead, Saywell, English, Corcoran, McPaul, Donoghue, Ostick, Hough, Ashall.




ROUGHYEDS are providing FREE transport to the game, courtesy of Atlantic Executive Travel of Heywood, but fans must book at the club’s office on (0161) 628 3677 before 3pm today.



The bus will leave the Black Horse on Ripponden Road at 6.30pm; Mecca Bingo at 6.45pm; and The Railway public house in Royton at 7pm.