Officials pray for a thaw

RUGBY LEAGUE:

LOCAL club officials will be hoping for a sudden thaw in the lead up to this weekend’s matches.

But hopes of a quick resumption — last Saturday’s National Conference League fixture programme was decimated by snow and ice — already seem remote.

Temperatures are expected to rise a little on Saturday, but probably not enough to allow pitches to be passed fit.

All three of the borough’s NCL sides are supposed to be in action.

In the Premier Division, Saddleworth Rangers welcome mid-table West Hull to Greenfield, while Oldham St Anne’s play host to title-chasing Oulton Raiders in Division One.

Waterhead, who are chasing back-to-back wins in Division Two, entertain bottom-of-the-table Ovenden.

The weather put paid to last weekend’s games in the Kukri North-West Counties League and Hollinwood’s Pennine League Supplementary Cup tie at home to Keighley Town ‘A’.