Musadik’s chance to impress

AMATEUR RUGBY:

OLDHAM St Anne’s coach Mick Cashin will bring in Musadik Khan from the club’s under-18s set-up for the away game at Eastmoor Dragons (2.30pm kick-off).

The tough forward, regarded as an excellent prospect, played well in the recent away game with Shaw Cross and gets another chance to impress.

Prop forward Andy Sands is suspended and there is a slight doubt over Kiel Lancashire (hamstring) but other than that, Saints coach Mick Cashin is missing only his long-term absentees Andy Wallace and Alex Eyres.

“We put in a really good performance last week,” said Cashin, referring to the 72-10 home thrashing of Shaw Cross.

“We know it will be tough at Eastmoor — it always is over there — but we go into the game with a lot of confidence.”

Eastmoor, third-bottom of the National Conference League division two table but much-improved of late, pushed leaders Eccles all the way before conceding two tries in the last eight minutes to lose 20-12.

St Anne’s are pushing for promotion and have three matches left to play. The top scorers in all the Conference’s three divisions, two wins should be enough to guarantee Saints a place in division one for next season.


SADDLEWORTH Rangers are back in Bradford for the second week running, bidding to bounce back from a disappointing loss at West Bowling against Dudley Hill (2.30pm).

A last-minute penalty did for Keith Brennan’s men last week, a 25-24 loss causing damage to Rangers’ division one title chances.

Dudley Hill are also in the promotion places in third and will be keen to follow up their last-gasp 14-11 win at Milford Marlins last week.



WATERHEAD have no game in division two.


FIXTURES

Tonight (8pm unless stated) — Engage Super League: Crusaders v Catalans (TV); Hull FC v Bradford; Leeds v Hull KR; St Helens v Warrington.

The Co-operative Championship: Sheffield v Dewsbury (7.30pm).

Saturday — Engage Super League: Harlequins v Huddersfield (5.45pm, TV).

The Co-operative Championship: Barrow v Featherstone (6.30pm); Toulouse v Keighley (7pm).

National Conference League, division one: Bradford Dudley Hill v Saddleworth Rangers (2.30pm). Division two: Eastmoor Dragons v Oldham St Anne’s (2.30pm).

North-West Counties League, division one: Oldham St Anne’s ‘A’ v Shevington Sharks. Division three: Moss Bank Bulldogs v Saddleworth Rangers ‘A’. Division four: Higginshaw v Cadishead Rhinos. Division five: Rochdale Cobras v Westhoughton Lions; Waterhead ‘A’ v Wigan Bulldogs.

Pennine League, division four: Drighlington ‘A’ v Hollinwood.

Sunday (3pm unless stated) — Engage Super League: Castleford v Wigan (3.30pm); Wakefield v Salford (3.30pm).

The Co-operative Championship: Leigh v Whitehaven.

The Co-operative Championship One: Gateshead v London Skolars (2pm); Hornets RL v Workington; Swinton v Doncaster; York v South Wales Scorpions.

Northern Rail Cup: Halifax v Hunslet.

Gillette National Youth League: West Cumbria v Saddleworth Rangers (1.30pm).