Roughyeds set to bid farewell to the Vestacare Stadium

Oldham Roughyeds are back at the Vestacare Stadium - for what will prove to be the last time - this Sunday as they take on Midlands Hurricanes in the final game of the regular League One season.

The club made its return to Boundary Park on Wednesday – the first time in 14 years – and from next year, the stadium will become their permanent base under a long-term agreement with Latics.

It has been a busy week for Oldham who have gone from having no games for several weeks to having three in just one.

“To get three games in seven days, with the way the fixtures have fallen, it has been a tough week for us,” said assistant boss Brendan Sheridan.

“We have reduced the intensity of our training sessions so they are more review-based and light jogs and things like that.

“You can’t get any intense training into them because the games are very intense anyway.”

The higher you finish, the easier the run-in to the play-off final – so for Roughyeds every game matters, especially as they look to build momentum going into the knock-out stages.

Mid-week saw the return of Jordan Paga, who had picked up a four-game ban back in June for a Grade E offence after he made contact with a suspected injured player.

Baker, who has been strong defensively with his uncompromising tackle technique, as well as a force in attack having scored five already this year, is another back within the fold after recovering from an ankle injury sustained in the Hunslet defeat.

Sunday’s opponents Midlands have thrown up a few shocks in recent weeks including arguably the upset of the season so far when they swept aside Doncaster to win 41-10.

Hurricanes appointed former Bradford Bulls head coach Mark Dunning at the end of May and performances on the field have seen an up-turn.

The club has benefited from the dual-registration and loan system with the likes of Castleford hooker Jacob Hookem and the experienced Sheffield half-back Izaac Farrell playing for the club in recent weeks.

Roughyeds have won all ten of their previous matches against Midlands (previously Coventry Bears) dating back to 2015.

Admission prices are £16 for adults, £10 for concessions, £5 for students and FREE for under-16s.

Tickets can be purchased on the Roughyeds' ticketing page.

Oldham squad in full: Ah Van, Bardsley, Baker, Blagbrough, Carr, Cameron, Hartley, Hirst, Johnson, Moran, Morgan, Nelmes, Newton, Paga, Rawsthorne, Ridyard, Slater, Tyrer, Whittel, Wilkinson, Wilson.

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