Oldham want to keep Forber

OLDHAM RL Club hope they won’t have to wave farewell to on-loan half-back Carl Forber when his initial one-month agreement comes to an end soon.

Sunday’s game against South Wales Scorpions at Caerphilly RU Club will be Forber’s last in a Roughyeds jersey under the terms of the current loan agreement with Co-operative Championship One pacesetters Swinton Lions.

As he had played for Swinton in round three he was cup-tied and ineligible to represent Roughyeds in the fourth-round Carnegie Challenge Cup defeat at Hull.

In the 26-year-old’s three previous appearances, he has scored two tries and kicked 16 goals from 19 attempts, playing in the 38-6 home win against Rochdale, the 40-24 loss at Whitehaven and the 46-24 defeat of Doncaster at the Whitebank Stadium.

Chairman Chris Hamilton and coach Tony Benson have talked to Forber about his immediate future and have established that the player would be happy to stay.

Mr Hamilton said: “We’ve talked with Carl about what we would like to happen, but we haven’t had discussions with Swinton yet. At the very least we would like to extend the loan.”

By an odd twist of fate Oldham’s next match after South Wales is against Swinton at The Willows on Friday night, May 27 and, whatever happens regarding Forber’s future in the meantime, it is unlikely the Lions would agree to anything that would enable him to play against them at the end of this month.

Prop Jason Boults will make his second appearance in seven days before the RFL disciplinary committee tomorrow to answer a grade ‘B’ charge of ‘striking with the knee’ in the home win against Doncaster, an offence for which he was sent off together with Doncaster’s Kyle Kesik.

He has just served a one-match ban, which kept him out of the cup-tie at Hull, for making abusive comments to the referee in the defeat at Whitehaven. He will be represented at the judiciary by Chris Hamilton.

Roughyeds have thanked the fans who went to Hull and got behind the team despite their 82-0 defeat by Super League opponents.

“Our supporters were fantastic,” said Hamilton. “They got behind the team at kick-off and, despite the score, they kept up their vocal and vociferous backing of Roughyeds from start to finish. It was a special day and our fans helped to make it so.

“On behalf of everyone at the club, and especially Tony Benson and the players, I would like to pass on the Roughyeds’ appreciation of what supporters did for us on Saturday. It certainly didn't go unnoticed.”

RING Janet on (0161) 628 3677 to book for the Roughyeds' three-course mid-season dinner at the Whitebank Stadium on Thursday, May 26.

The speaker has still to be named, but vocalist and comedienne Donna Elson will entertain. Tickets are £30 or £300 plus vat for a corporate table of 10.