Brennan warns table-toppers
Reporter: by MATTHEW CHAMBERS
Date published: 30 October 2009
Alex Eyres : Missing from the St Anne’s line up due to injury.
SADDLEWORTH Rangers coach Keith Brennan isn’t about to get distracted by his side’s lofty league position.
Sitting top of National Conference League division one after only losing a solitary match so far this season, Rangers take on a long trip to Millom tomorrow (2pm kick off).
Jimmy Rogers, rested last week with niggling injuries to his ribs and hip, is back to bolster the pack for what will be a tough battle in Cumbria.
“We are confident and things are going well at the moment,” said Brennan.
“But we are not getting carried away and know that we have to keep on performing, week after week.”
n OLDHAM St Anne’s, top of division two, are also hitting the M6 as they travel to face Egremont Rangers in division two (2.30pm), bidding to stay ahead of the rest by picking up another two points.
Prop forward Alex Eyres is a big miss for Saints coach Mick Cashin, having dislocated a knee in last week’s 34-20 home win over Crosfields.
Zac Cotton (ankle) is struggling and Andy Wallace is still missing, but Cashin remains confident.
YARDSTICK
“We know it will be tough up there but we have been training well,” he said.
“We played some good stuff at times last week and our fitness came through in the last 20 minutes, which was pleasing.”
n WATERHEAD are back on home turf after suffering a disappointing 32-0 defeat away to East Leeds in division two.
Coach Mick Slicker said his team worked hard in the game, but were “beaten up” in the forwards.
The Peach Road side weren’t helped either by a number of absentees — including scrum-half Mick Diveney — and Slicker believes the home game against Eccles and Salford Juniors (2pm) will provide a handy yardstick for his men.
“There were no excuses for last week,” Slicker said. “Maybe playing against a side like Eccles it will give us an idea of the standard we need to get up to.”
n HIGGINSHAW’S home game against Rochdale Mayfield in North-West Counties League division four will now kick off at 1pm.
