Back-ups are ready

RUGBY LEAGUE: OLDHAM St Anne’s coach Mick Cashin is backing his second-team players to “step up to the mark” at Millom in National Conference League Division One tomorrow.
Cashin is without five regulars for the mid-table clash in Cumbria.

Influential full-back Gary Rafferty and forward Dominic Igoe missing are because of knee injuries, while second-row men Greg Worrall and David Cookson, plus scrum-half Jordan White, are in Malta representing Lancashire.

Cashin said: “The players in the second team are a good bunch and I know they will step up to the mark.

“They will do a good job, I’m sure of that, and will give 100-per-cent effort to Oldham St Anne’s.

“Millom is a difficult place to go even at full strength, but I’m confident we can still get a result.”

Saddleworth Rangers coach Keith Brennan is looking for more of the same intensity from his side when they visit third-bottom Wigan St Jude’s in the Premier Division.

The Greenfield outfit defeated lowly Wigan St Patrick’s 29-12 to record a fourth win in eight games since their return to the top flight.

Brennan, who has a full squad at his disposal for the St Jude’s clash.

He said: “Our defence was good last week, although we probably gave away too many penalties, and we scored some excellent tries at the end.

“St Patrick’s were a physical team and I’m expecting a similar challenge tomorrow.

“There are no easy games in the division. Whereas we could have an off-day in the other divisions against teams near the bottom and still scrape a win, we need to play well in every game, otherwise we will get punished.”

Waterhead hope to build on last week’s 24-10 home victory over Elland — but they have a tough task on their hands travelling away to play unbeaten Division Two table-toppers Hunslet Warriors.

Paul Geener is running the first team for the next few months in place of Garry Highton and is being assisted by Paul Lord and Andrew Sands.

And Geener is confident that his team, with a number of players drifting to the club, are capable of gaining a good result given the same level of performance.