Pack boost for Rangers

RETURNING trio Adam Clayton, Liam Hall and Jason Best will add plenty of steel to the Saddleworth Rangers pack tomorrow as they attempt to make it through to the third round of the Carnegie Challenge Cup.

Should Keith Brennan’s men manage the feat by beating Castleford Lock Lane at home (2pm kick off), it would then grant Rangers a shot at professional opposition from the Co-operative Championship divisions.

While that would be nothing new for some of the players, it would represent a different side of the same coin for coach Brennan, who coached against Saddleworth while acting as an assistant at Oldham and then Rochdale.

“It would be good to be on the other side this time,” admitted Brennan, who helped out in 2008 when Rochdale beat Rangers 48-6 at Spotland, and in 2006 when Oldham trumped their near neighbours 32-10.

“In the professional game you are put in a no-win situation — if you win, it is never by enough points and if you lose, you get slated. With Saddleworth, we would be under no pressure at all and could play with freedom.

“We have to get this one out of the way first though and we will need to be on our mettle.”

Rangers are up against a side which beat Waterhead on their own turf in consecutive weeks, albeit by a mere two points on both occasions.

An added incentive for spectators to make their way down to Shaw Hall Bank Road tomorrow is the presence there of the Challenge Cup trophy itself, with photo opportunities being made available.

Oldham St Anne’s are in action in National Conference League division one today and can leapfrog Saddleworth in the table — though they will have played three games more — should they complete a home-and-away league double at Stanningley tomorrow (2.30pm).

However, the St Anne’s coach is simply concentrating on the task in hand.

“We’re not looking at that,” said Mick Cashin, who has a slight doubt over the fitness of Ryan Blake (ankle).

“We have hit a bit of form and we just have to look at going over there to win the game.”

Cashin will look to the likes of promising pack men Phil Jagger and John Fox to continue their good progress.

“Our young forwards have really come on over the last few months and they have played a big part in our recent success,” Cashin added.

In division two, Waterhead are down to play Heworth at home (2.30pm), but with Waterhead Park still frozen solid officials hope to arrange a game away at Crosfields instead.

In any case, coach Mick Slicker has a full squad to select from after reporting a clean bill of health.