Away day is just the ticket

PREVIEW: THE ROUGHYEDS squad can be forgiven for experiencing a rare emotion ahead of a trip to Cumbria this weekend — relief.

The prospect of a rugged battle in the distant north of Workington is not usually one to savour. But on the back of two defeats out of three as Tony Benson’s boys battle through teething troubles at their new Whitebank Stadium, an away day is just the ticket.

Roughyeds have yet to taste defeat away from home in the league this season.

A run of five successive Co-operative Championship One victories — including one away at new leaders Hunslet, who last week took revenge by way of a 60-4 trouncing — helped propel Oldham to top spot before the two home losses, the other of which was at home against York in the club’s first-ever appearance at the Whitebank Stadium.

But few who witnessed the clash between Workington and Oldham earlier this season will believe the visitors are in for an easy ride at Derwent Park on Sunday (3pm kick-off).

Mid-table Town, who enter this game on the back of four successive wins, gave the Roughyeyds a real run for their money at Sedgley Park.

In the second of two matches played over the busy Easter period, a Neil Roden-inspired Oldham squeezed past the Cumbrian side 16-14 despite the visitors finishing the game very strongly.

Scrum-half Scott Kaighan missed with a presentable conversion in a second-half revival, leaving Gary Charlton’s side unlucky to retreat north with only a bonus point to show for their considerable efforts.

Improving Workington now have within their ranks Barrow’s record points scorer Darren Holt, who signed for the club until the end of the season earlier this month.

In doing so, Holt — now 33 years old — joined an elite group of players who have represented four professional Cumbrian sides, the others being Whitehaven, Barrow and Carlisle.

He had previously been turning out as player-coach of rugby union outfit Furness, but may miss out against the Roughyeds due to a pre-booked family holiday.

Holt joins a substantial contingent of former Barrow players now plying their trade at Town, including back row quartet Brett Carter, Mike Backhouse, Andrew Beattie and Jamie Marshall, second row men Mike Whitehead and Stuart Rhodes and half-back pairing Liam Finch and Scott Kaighan.


fixtures

RUGBY LEAGUE

Tomorrow — Carnegie Challenge Cup, quarter-finals: Batley v Catalans (5.30pm); Leeds v Wigan (2.30pm, TV); St Helens v Barrow (3pm).

Sunday (3pm unless stated) — Carnegie Challenge Cup, quarter-final: Bradford v Warrington (3.30pm, TV).

The Co-operative Championship: Featherstone v Dewsbury; Leigh v Halifax.

The Co-operative Championship One: Doncaster v Hunslet; Gateshead v Hornets RL; Swinton v London Skolars; WORKINGTON v OLDHAM; York v Blackpool.