Oldham must do without home comfort

OLDHAM RL are bracing themselves for financial hardship during the six weeks the Roughyeds will play all their games away from home.

Sunday's Championship One clash with Doncaster (3pm kick-off) will be the last game at Whitebank until Sunday, June 12, when South Wales Scorpions come to town.

Before then, Tony Benson's men head for Hull FC (Challenge Cup), South Wales, Swinton Lions and Doncaster and they also have a blank Sunday on May 22.

Oldham Boro FC, who also use the ground, played their last home game of the season last night, while Roughyeds reserves are not scheduled to play on home soil again until Sheffield Eagles visit on Saturday, June 18.

"Six weeks without match-day income is a long time,” said Oldham chairman Chris Hamilton. "But we asked for a break so that we can do vital work on the pitch.

"It goes without saying that we will be looking for a good crowd on Sunday. It's important that fans get behind the club and the team, not only to help us financially, but to give the team a tonic.”

The reserves game at Featherstone has been brought forward from Saturday to tomorrow night, kick-off 8pm.

Tickets for Oldham's Carnegie Challenge Cup fourth-round tie at Super League club Hull FC on Saturday, May 7 (1pm kick-off) are available at the Roughyeds' office in Lansdowne Road, Chadderton, priced at £15 and £8 (concessions).

The office (tel: 628 3677) will close at 5pm tonight and will not re-open until Tuesday at 9am.

Roughyeds are taking bookings for coach travel to the KC Stadium. Cost per person is £15. Deadline for booking, at the office on (0161) 628 3677, is 5pm Tuesday.