Roughyeds coach expects tough trip

SCOTT NAYLOR has targeted Championship One clubs for pre-season warm-up games.

OLDHAM Rugby League Club’s pre-season programme of warm-up games will begin with a tough challenge at Barrow on February 2.

Swinton Lions will come to Whitebank a week later (Feb 9) — and club officials are hoping to stage a third practice match on one of the two blank weekends before the start of the Kingstone Press Championship One campaign on March 2.

Coach Scott Naylor has set his sights on Championship clubs to give his young squad testing challenges.

“We’ve had a struggle to arrange friendlies because Championship One starts after the other divisions and that in itself caused problems,” said Naylor.

“But we were given the opportunity to play Swinton and Barrow and those games should be ideal preparation for us as we look ahead to March 2 and our long trip to South Wales on the opening day of the Championship One campaign.

“You don’t go to Barrow in early February expecting anything less than a tough contest in a tough environment against a big side.”

Barrow finished the 2013 Championship season just above the relegated bottom two and with 33 points, one fewer than Swinton.