Rangers raring to go

A PAIR of experienced campaigners will be on hand for Saddleworth Rangers tomorrow night for the club’s big Challenge Cup day out at Widnes Vikings (6pm).

Jason Best returns to the fold following an injury lay-off — despite the fiery second row forward picking up a two-match ban at a disciplinary hearing last week following a recent sending-off. The ban doesn’t kick in until March 14.

Veteran Emerson Jackman also strengthens the hand of Rangers coach Keith Brennan ahead of their high-profile clash at the Stobart Stadium, but Jimmy Rogers is still recovering from a kidney infection and won’t feature.

Brennan hopes that the fatigue factor arising from playing three games in eight days last week can be overcome through the sheer enthusiasm of taking on a full-time professional outfit.

“We had a tough week with games at Ovenden away, St Anne’s in midweek and then Wath Brow at their place,” said Brennan, who saw his side lose 30–8 in Cumbria last time out.

“But we have trained lightly this week and started to get a buzz going around the place. It is a great game to look forward to.”

Widnes, who lost 12-4 at Barrow in the Northern Rail Cup on Wednesday evening, have made an indifferent start to a season which began in dramatic fashion.

After going down 22-20 at home to Oldham in their first game, the Vikings sacked coach Steve McCormack and are now reported to be close to appointing ex-Warrington man Paul Cullen.

Oldham St Anne’s have what coach Mick Cashin describes as a game of “massive” significance in their battle to beat the drop into division two of the National Conference League.

Millom are the visitors to Higginshaw Road (2.30pm) for a fixture which pits Saints — third from bottom and in the drop zone — with a Cumbrian side two places higher in the table but only one point better off.

“We need the points from our home games now,” said Cashin. “This is one of those strange leagues in that if you get a couple of wins together you can push yourselves up into mid-table.”

Waterhead coach Mick Slicker sees his team’s 40-12 home defeat to Eccles and Salford Juniors as two points dropped as is keen to make up for that disappointment tomorrow, as the team make their way East to face Hull Isberg.

Keiran Grennan is expected to be back, as is Martin Sarsfield, but Mick Diveny is struggling with a chest injury.

“We were poor last week, though we did get on the wrong end of a heavy penalty count,” said Slicker.

“This is two points that we need to pull back on.”