Pride at stake at Peach Road

WITH no chance of reaching the play-offs, only pride is at stake when local rivals Waterhead and Oldham St Anne’s go head to head at Peach Road tomorrow (2pm).

Widnes West Bank are already through to the last eight after finishing top of Group ‘E’ of the National Conference League interim campaign.

Waterhead and Saints are second and third respectively.

Victory for the latter would see them leapfrog their hosts, whose hopes of qualifying for the knock-out stages were dashed by last weekend’s 22-15 defeat by West Bank.

Both local sides can take plenty of positives from the interim season, introduced as a stop-gap before the first NCL summer campaign gets under way next March.

Chris Deakin, the Saints coach, said: “It’s been a good little hit out and it’s nice to finish with a local derby.

“Waterhead have had an excellent run and I’m really pleased for them, because it’s nice to see the local sides doing well.

“Saddleworth Rangers were also on a winning spree before last week’s defeat, so it is all good for the game in this area.”

fitness checks

John Fox and Kiel Lancashire face late fitness checks for Saints, while Dave Harrison is unavailable.

Waterhead have won eight of their 11 fixtures so far in the group, while Saints have managed seven victories.

The reverse fixture at the start of the season in August saw Saints prevail 38-22 in a terrific nip-and-tuck encounter.

SADDLEWORTH Rangers bring down the curtain on their season with the visit of reigning NCL Division One champions Siddal tomorrow (1.30pm).

Rangers are also unable to qualify for the play-offs, which will consist of the leading sides from each of the eight groups.

Having won 10 of their 11 matches to win Group ‘C’ by a country mile, Siddal may take their foot of the gas with the knock-out phase looming large on the horizon.

As a forerunner to the main event, a Masters game between the two sides will kick off at 12.30pm.