Oldham probe Dons pounding

THE inquest into Oldham RL Club’s 30-0 hammering at Doncaster will begin in earnest tonight when the players regroup for the first time since Sunday’s debacle at the Keepmoat Stadium.

With nine league games left — five of them at home — Tony Benson’s men must start picking up points soon if they are to avoid the ignominy of finishing in the bottom three of the sport’s third tier.

Despite losing seven of their 11 Championship One games played so far they are currently fourth bottom and occupy the last play-off spot on the same number of points as South Wales Scorpions, but with a superior for-and-against record.

Having been beaten 40-20 in South Wales three weeks ago, Roughyeds now face two crucial home games against the Scorpions, the first of them on Sunday when Benson’s men return to the Whitebank Stadium to play in front of their own supporters for the first time in six weeks.

Coaching staff and players will be analysing what went wrong at Doncaster and laying down plans to get things right this weekend in order to avenge the loss in Caerphilly.

Self-analysis apart, Roughyeds will also be assessing their latest injury predicament which claimed five more victims in South Yorkshire.

Ben Wood (knee), Ben Heaton (ribs), Neil Roden (head), Danny Whitmore (head) and Mark Brocklehurst (shoulder) were all knocked about at Doncaster.

Young forward Chris Clarke, who was badly missed in that game for his sterling defensive work, goes back to hospital on Friday to see a consultant about the thumb injury he received in the 18-16 defeat at Swinton. He is awaiting a scan.