Roughyeds face Welsh amateurs

Chris Hamilton: Looking forward to the cup-tie test.

BLACKWOOD Bulldogs of South Wales will provide the opposition for Oldham Roughyeds in the third round of this season’s Carnegie Challenge Cup.

The draw, made last night at the Metro Centre in Gateshead, brings the Gwent-based amateurs north on Sunday, March 7, as one of 13 amateur qualifiers left in the competition.

Roughyeds admit they don’t know an awful lot about Blackwood. Welsh Conference finalists in 2008 and champions a year later, their squad contains several players with Wales ‘A’ and under-18s caps and the Bulldogs got to this stage via victories over Edge Hill University of Ormskirk and Edinburgh Eagles.

“We have home advantage and it will be good to be playing a team we have never met before,” said Roughyeds chairman Chris Hamilton.

“Having made it this far, Bulldogs will be full of confidence, desire and vigour, but it will be a good test for us and I know the boys are looking forward to it.”

Blackwood chairman Andrew Smith is hopeful of getting through to the next stage and bagging a home draw.

“It’s another tough tie but we’ll go up there with confidence as we want to pull off a shock and bring a Super League side to Glan-yr-Afon Park,” said Smith.

Other notable ties in the draw are the all-Championship clash between Keighley and Toulouse and the visit of fellow French sides Limoux and Lezignan to London Skolars and Hornets RL respectively.

Of the amateur clubs in the draw — none of whom are from Oldham — Ovenden take on Halifax in a local derby, Wigan St Jude’s face a difficult trip to Widnes and Cumbrian outfit Wath Brow, who knocked out Skolars at this stage last year, are at Leigh Centurions.

Carnegie Challenge Cup third round draw: Widnes Vikings v Wigan St Jude’s; OLDHAM v Blackwood Bulldogs; Gateshead Thunder v York City Knights; London Skolars v Limoux; Doncaster v Siddal; Hornets v Lezignan; Drighlington v Dewsbury Rams; Batley v Leeds Met; Royal Navy v Blackpool; Featherstone v Workington; Warrington Wizards v Swinton; Leigh Miners Rangers v Whitehaven; Sheffield Eagles v Thatto Heath; Ovenden v Halifax; Barrow v Hunslet Warriors; Keighley Cougars v Toulouse; Leigh East v Hunslet Hawks; Leigh Centurions v Wath Brow. 

* FREE travel will again be provided by Atlantic Executive Travel for the home game against Sheffield Eagles on Monday at Sedgley Park (8pm kick-off).

Fans wanting to reserve seats on the bus should call the Roughyeds office on (0161) 6283677.