Roughyeds will respond — Kerr

Wayne Kerr on the charge

OLDHAM'S players are determined to put the disappointments of the past couple of weeks behind them when Workington come to town on Sunday (3pm kick-off).

That's according to explosive Irish prop forward Wayne Kerr, who has already established himself as an integral part of coach Tony Benson's side.

The 25-year-old former London Skolars player admits that the dressing room at Cougar Park wasn't a pleasant place to be in the aftermath of last week's 34-26 loss to Keighley.

At the same time, though, all sights are still set on top spot in Co-operative Championship One.

"It was horrible," said Kerr. "We knew we just didn't play well, especially in the first half.

“Keighley are a better side than Blackpool and though we got back into it in the second half, we paid the price.

"It didn't help losing Tommy Goulden and Two Bobs (Robert Roberts) early on, but we didn't do enough.

"The response in training this week has been excellent, though.

“We had a really tough training session on Tuesday even though the conditions were very wet, and everyone is confident that this week we will put it right.

"There is a huge expectation on us and I know that we are definitely good enough to go up automatically.

“I haven't been here for the past two play-off finals, but I know the boys who were want to go straight up rather than go through that again."

Since reaching full fitness following a post-World Cup rest, Ireland international Kerr has missed only one game for Oldham, the away Northern Rail Cup clash at Hunslet.

He has also piled over for three tries, including a pair which helped turn round an 18-4 deficit at home to Blackpool two weeks ago.

"To be honest things are going really well for me," said Kerr. "I'm playing pretty well and getting loads of game time.

"I was on the field for around 50 minutes last week, whereas the week before against Blackpool it was only 20 — though I did manage to get a couple of tries in that time.

"I got 10 tries for Skolars last year and I have three so far this season. If I get the ball close to the line on the back of a quick play-the-ball, I back myself to score.

"Tony Benson gave me the chance and I like to think I have grabbed it with both hands.

"There are some great players not in the side at the moment.

“You look at the props like Jason Boults, who played in almost every game last year, and Luke Menzies who can't get a game — and when you are playing instead of players like that, it is really something."

As for Sunday's opponents at Boundary Park, Workington had lost all five of their competitive matches in 2009 until last week, when they turned over Rochdale 21-14 at home.

One of those defeats came at home in the Carnegie Challenge Cup third round against Lezignan, who travel to face Oldham a week on Sunday.

Coach Dave Rotheram lost the services of Dean Burgess last week, the prop lasting only 10 minutes on his surprise return from a medial knee ligaments injury.

The performances of young front row pair Jarrad Stack and Tommy Brindle — who picked up two tries against the Hornets — drew praise from Rotheram, who is still without the services of his captain, former Barrow full-back or centre Andrew Beattie.