SPEAKING before Sunday’s home defeat by Rochdale, Roughyeds captain Martyn Ridyard said Oldham could still push for a play-off spot.
Talking to League Express, Ridyard said anything was possible, considering the competitive nature of Betfred League One.
His optimism looked more than justified as Roughyeds led 24-6 at half-time in the Vestacare Stadium, but in strong summer sunshine, Hornets hit back impressively to win 50-24 and confirm their status near the top of the play-off groupings.
Oldham now have it all to do to overhaul Hunslet and make the play-offs, given they are eight points in arrears but with a game in hand.
Hunslet have seven games to play, four of them away at North Wales Crusaders, Keighley Cougars, Swinton Lions and Oldham. Their three home games are against London Skolars, Midlands Hurricanes and Doncaster.
Their away results, including their clash with Oldham at the Vestacare Stadium on the last day of the regular season, will clearly be key to whether Hunslet or Stu Littler’s boys squeeze into the last play-off spot.
Oldham, with eight to play (four home, four away), have a remaining fixture list like this.
HOME: Doncaster (this Sunday, 3pm), North Wales Crusaders, London Skolars, Hunslet (last game of the regular season).
AWAY: West Wales Raiders, Midlands Hurricanes, Cornwall, Swinton Lions.
Said Ridyard:
“The season is not written off yet and I am sure we can still turn it round.
“In a lot of the games, even when we were slaughtered by Keighley, we always had some performance positives. We just need to get that message through to the rest of the squad and show a bit more self-belief.
“In this league, you never know who will win any game.
“There is rarely a clear favourite and that was seen when we went down to London Skolars and lost. If we can show a similar attitude to the one used by London that night we can get a couple of wins and we could still sneak into the play-offs.”
After the Rochdale game, Stu Littler said it was frustrating to let slip an 18-point half-time lead. In the first half, Roughyeds had enjoyed a 95 per cent set completion rate but they only had ten sets in the whole of the second half and they completed only five of those.
“We have a lot of work to do,”
he added.
Roughyeds are at home again this Sunday when Doncaster come to the Vestacare Stadium on what is forecast to be another red-hot day.
