OLDHAM fans can stand by for changes in the side to take on Coventry Bears at Butts Park Arena on Sunday (3pm kick-off).
Chasing their seventh Betfred League 1 win in a row, Roughyeds will be making their first visit to the Butts Park Arena, which is also home to Coventry RUFC and is situated on Butts Lane, Coventry, CV1 3GE.
Scott Naylor, a big believer in squad rotation to keep all his players primed for action, said:
“Some of the lads need game time and as we have no serious injuries we have an opportunity to utilise the full squad in the next couple of weeks.
“Dual-reg will be available as well, but it’s all about getting the balancing act right.”
Jack Spencer and Dave Eccleston are classed as doubtful because of injuries that kept them out of the Doncaster game, Spencer with a back complaint he picked up at work and Eccleston with a knee injury sustained in training last week.
Added Scott:
“Jack was a little bit better last night and he was able to work out on weights.
“Who knows, by weekend they might both be okay and if that were the case we would have a fully-fit squad apart from Adam Neal.”
Prop Ben Davies, still to make his bow this year after damaging his back pre-season, will be available as well if he comes through this week’s training satisfactorily.
Among the players who didn’t get a run last week were Kyran Johnson, Steven Nield, Kenny Hughes, Danny Rasool and Zack McComb.
There are three ever-presents (14 out of 14 in league and cup) — Danny Langtree, Luke Nelmes and Danny Bridge.
Roughyeds haven’t been to Coventry before because the only previous occasion the two clubs were in the same competition was in 2015 when the peculiarities of the fixture structure meant that not every team played all the rest home and away.
The Bears came to Oldham in the league, in the Challenge Cup and in the League 1 Cup, but Roughyeds were not required to play in the West Midlands.
Currently, the Bears are third bottom with one win from ten league games.
Coach Tom Tsang is hoping half-back Paul Emmanuelli and forward Chris Vitalini will be back to strengthen a side that was beaten by North Wales Crusaders last time out.
