Locals up for the cup

MARK LEYDEN: Six-match suspension.

PROGRESS to the last 32 of the BARLA National Cup is on the agenda tomorrow for Saddleworth Rangers and Waterhead, both of whom host ties in the third round.

Saddleworth, who play a Hensingham side (2pm kick off) currently in mid-table in the Cumberland League division one, last won at home when beating Eastmoor Dragons 22-14 on September 27 last year — a remarkably lean spell for a club usually so strong at their Greenfield base.

“We have struggled a bit, to be honest,” said Rangers coach Keith Brennan, who goes into the game with a confident midweek win over Eccles and Salford Juniors behind him. “I don’t know whether it is to do with the players feeling more pressure when we are at home, but it is something we are working on.”

Jason Best missed the Eccles game but is in contention after recovering from a back injury and a likely starter in the second row.

Waterhead’s home clash with Castleford Lock Lane is the first of a double-header against the same opposition on consecutive weekends.

The teams have already met on Waterhead Park in National Conference League division two, with the visitors running out 26-16 winners.

Mick Slicker will be hoping that his side can reverse that scoreline tomorrow (2pm), in order to move into the competition’s last 16.

For that to happen, he will have to do without the services of prop forward Mark Leyden, who was given a six-match ban for punching at a recent Conference disciplinary committee.

Oldham St Anne’s were punished even more heavily at the same hearing, with Andy Wallace getting a whopping eight-match suspension for use of an elbow in the tackle in the recent game against Saddleworth.

Saints officials feel that the verdict was a harsh one, given they didn’t view the referee’s report as being particularly damning and, as a result, didn’t ask for a personal hearing.

In addition to Wallace, St Anne’s will also be without Martin Ryan (hamstring) and Danny Kay (knee) for tomorrow’s rearranged Carnegie Challenge Cup preliminary round game against Wigan St Jude’s at Higginshaw Road (1.30pm), while Ryan Blake is a big doubt with an ankle injury.

However, Saints still enter the game in confident mood.

Said coach Mick Cashin. “We beat Leigh Miners (in the National Cup) so there is no reason at all why we can’t beat St Jude’s.”