Higgy hopeful

AMATEUR RUGBY LEAGUE: HIGGINSHAW coach John Mellor expects this weekend’s game at Rochdale Mayfield to go ahead in the North-West Counties League division four.

A long list of injuries, coupled with five players being unavailable because of work commitments, left Higgy with only 10 fit bodies for last Saturday’s North-West Counties Bowl tie against Spring View.

Mellor appealed to the league for the match to be postponed, but his plea was unsuccessful and game was awarded to their opponents.

Mellor said: “We don’t seem to have much luck in this competition.

“We reached the quarter-finals last season, only for the league to abolish it because of the weather.”

Four of the players, Steve Perry (dislocated shoulder), Michael Smith (infected toe), Adam Horabin (toe) and Lee Burke (broken ribs), required hospital treatment.

Perry and Burke are facing lengthy spells on the sidelines.

Elsewhere in the Bowl, Waterhead ‘A’ swept aside Westhoughton Lions 60-6, while Saddleworth Rangers ‘A’ moved into the round three after a 26-4 win over Rochdale Cobras.