Cup luck deserts Roughyeds again

ROUGHYEDS chief Chris Hamilton has bemoaned Oldham’s awful luck in Challenge Cup draws following last night’s pairings for the 2010 Carnegie competition which send Tony Benson’s men to Hunslet Hawks in round four.

Of the last 11 occasions that Oldham have been in the hat for the third round, it will be the eighth time they have been drawn away - and they have had to travel to poorly-attended ties at places like Aldershot, Gateshead and Humberside.

Despite advancing to round five of the sport’s best-known knock-out competition in 2007 and 2009 and going one better to hit the last eight in 2008, they have drawn Super League opposition only twice - Harlequins at home (Sedgley Park) in 2007 and Wakefield at Belle Vue in the quarter-final a year later.

If Oldham are to benefit financially from this year’s competition they must win at Hunslet and hope for a lucrative tie in round five, or face another Challenge Cup loss.

“There won’t be much in it for the side that loses at Hunslet, that’s for sure,” said Hamilton.

“It will be the third time we will have played them this season so Tony (coach Benson) won’t be able to say he knows nothing about them.

“I’ve stopped even thinking about who I would like in the draw because we rarely get one we would have chosen.”

Roughyeds suffered a 28-14 Northern Rail defeat at Hunslet last month but they will make a return visit to the South Leeds Stadium on Friday night (8pm) for a Championship 1 encounter encouraged by a superb 38-20 league win at Swinton and then an 80-6 Challenge Cup win against Welsh amateurs Blackwood Bulldogs.

Roughyeds face an important date at the Rugby League disciplinary committee in Leeds later today when five players, two from Oldham and three from Swinton, face possible suspension for alleged offences in a free-for-all near the end of the recent game at Sedgley Park.

Chris Hamilton will represent the two Oldham players, prop Wayne Kerr and winger Mark Brocklehurst.

Also before the judiciary will be Swinton’s Ian Watson, Aaron Smith and Neil Rigby.