Eager Saints can’t wait for cup-tie test

AMATEUR RUGBY LEAGUE: OLDHAM St Anne’s are dying to get back out onto the playing field — players and coach alike.

It has now been six weeks since the Higginshaw Road side had any meaningful action on a Saturday afternoon but that sequence should finally come to an end tomorrow.

Saints are up against Wigan St Jude’s (1.30pm kick-off) in the preliminary round of the Carnegie Challenge Cup and for coach Mick Cashin, it is a contest that can’t come soon enough.

“The lads are itching to get back out there and I am too,” said Cashin, in the build-up to the cup tie against a side two divisions higher in the top echelon of the National Conference League.

“It will be a good test for us but we do well at home and fancy our chances.”

Andy Sands (shoulder) is a doubt for the home side as they bid to reach the first round and an away tie at Stanningley next week.

Already through to round one of the competition thanks to a bye are Saddleworth Rangers, who face-off against Siddal at home (2pm).

The visitors from Halifax are the reigning NCL champions and Rangers coach Keith Brennan admitted that such ties “don’t come much bigger”.

The six-week period of inaction — Saddleworth’s last game was the 30-6 home defeat of Milford Marlins on Saturday, December 12 — has at least served to enable the squad to shake off injury niggles.

And of the long-term absentees, Brennan expects Jimmy Rogers, Liam Coates, Michael Rowe and Phil Wood to be back in action in around a month’s time.

Waterhead are also set for a rare outing in a home preliminary round tie with Drighlington of the Pennine League’s premier division (1.30pm).

Mick Slicker’s men haven’t won since October of last year and will be without scrum-half Mick Diveney once again due to his long-standing shoulder injury.

That apart, the team selection for the Waterhead Park clash will be made from a relatively healthy squad.Weekend fixtures

Tomorrow — Carnegie Challenge Cup, preliminary round: Oldham St Anne’s v Wigan St Jude’s (1.30pm); Waterhead v Drighlington (1.30pm). Round one: Saddleworth Rangers v Siddal (2pm).

Andrew Bennett Memorial Trophy, round one: Liversedge v Hollinwood (2pm).

North-West Counties League, division one: Oldham St Anne’s ‘A’ v Haydock. Division three: Saddleworth Rangers ‘A’ v Ulverston. Division four: Leigh Central Lions v Higginshaw. Division five: Chorley Panthers v Waterhead ‘A’.

Sunday — Law Cup: Rochdale v Oldham (3pm).