Local sides face away-day test

AMATEUR RUGBY LEAGUE:

SADDLEWORTH Rangers and Higginshaw must do things the hard way to get through to the third round of the Ace Insurance (Europe) BARLA National Cup tomorrow afternoon.

As a result of double postponements due to poor weather, both ties — against Wigan St Cuthbert’s and Hunslet Warriors respectively — have been switched and are now designated as away games in accordance with BARLA rules.

Oldham St Anne’s though, involved in the same stage of the competition and facing a tricky home game against Lancashire Cup finalists Rylands, are at home (2pm kick-off).

Their game at Higginshaw Road, due to be played last week, has only been postponed once and coach Mick Cashin is missing only one player in Dave Harris (work commitments) as he bids to plot a course through to the next stage.

Rangers welcome back an important figure in Liam Coates, who returns after an operation on tendons in his fingers, and are bidding to bounce back from a 22-8 home defeat to National Conference League champions Siddal in the Carnegie Challenge Cup first round two weeks ago.

Higginshaw, meanwhile, will have things doubly difficult this weekend. As well as losing three big players — Michael Cadd, Scott Hewson and Steven Perry — to a coaching course for the Hunslet game, they also play out a Standard Cup tie with Hollinwood on Sunday (1pm).

Waterhead are at home to Stanley Rangers in National Conference League division two (2pm) with a new coaching team of Paul Geener and John Byram at the helm.

Captain Keiran Grennan, Terry Fitzgerald and Rory Freek should be back in the side.