Hatton looks to make mark

DEAN Hatton returns to the Oldham second team tonight, five weeks after fracturing a thumb on his Roughyeds debut.

The half-back or hooker, who picked up the injury against Dewsbury having been signed a few days earlier from Hornets RL on a short-term deal to the end of the season, is in the 18-man squad which travels to York City Knights (kick-off 8pm).

Hatton, along with other first-teamers Mark Brocklehurst, Ben Mellor, Kashley Watkins and Scott Mansfield, will be looking to impress coach Tony Benson tonight.

Mansfield, like Hatton, is returning after injury. He damaged an ankle on first-team duty at Rochdale on Good Friday, but he is now fit to go again after working hard on rehab over the past month.

Having gone to Egypt on holiday, he was stranded there when planes were grounded because of the volcanic ash crisis, but he used the time well to build up his ankle by working out in pool and gym.

He was back in training on Tuesday night when he was cleared to play at York.

Meanwhile, the main injury worry at senior level, ahead of Monday’s tough test at Doncaster in Co-op Championship One, concerns centre Marcus St Hilaire, who damaged his neck and shoulder in last Saturday’s win over Gateshead.

Reserves (from): Coates; Williams, Brocklehurst, Knight, McMullen; Ashton, Diveney; Kinney, Hatton, Mellor, Watkins, Ward, Mansfield; Barrowclough, Cadd, Marsden, Smith, Fullalove.