DONCASTER’S 32-20 win at Hunslet last night put the cat among the pigeons at both ends of the play-off five in Betfred League One.
There are still a few ‘ifs’ and ‘buts’, but it was a result that hugely favoured Roughyeds chances of finishing in the last play-off spot and it points to a granstand finish when Oldham play Hunslet at the Vestacare Stadium on Sunday week, September 4.
We are currently two points behind Hunslet with a superior for-and-against figure so every point scored or conceded will be hugely important when we go to Swinton tomorrow in search of our fourth win in a row.
At the other end of the play-off group, Doncaster’s win put more pressure on Swinton and North Wales Crusaders in the race to finish top of the five or second behind champions Keighley overall.
“There are a few permutations, but as far as we are concerned we’ve two games left against Swinton and Hunslet and, like all games, the challenge for us is to win them,” said head coach Stu Littler. “Everything else will take care of itself.”
Littler has named his 21-man squad as follows:
Butterworth, Cameron, Cooke, Copland, Coventry, Field, Hartley, Hewitt, Holcroft, Morgan, Muranka, Nelmes, Newton, Openshaw, Restall, Ridyard, Slater, Spencer, Thornton, Whittel, Yarrow.
Young on-loan centre Connor Carr (Huddersfield Giants) is the only absentee from the 17 who played in the 32-12 win at Cornwall last Sunday and that’s because he has a broken jaw which will finish him for what remains of this season.
Dave Hewitt, who missed the Cornwall game because his wife was due to give birth, is back in the 21, as are Luke Nelmes, after a five-match ban, and two on-loan youngsters from Super League, hooker Johnny Openshaw from Salford and play-anywhere Oliver Field from Leeds Rhinos.
Swinton have sent us this update about their SEVEN former Oldham players:
Dan Abram - Having a great season and two weeks ago at West Wales he broke the club goals-in a-match record with 15 conversions.
Max Roberts - Also having a good season and is a regular try scorer
Richard Lepori - Making a great partnership with Roberts.
Will Hope - Just returned to the squad having completed his training with the Manchester Fire Service
Matty Wilkinson - Making a good impression in his first season with the Lions
Jack Spencer - Making good impressions, mainly from the bench, but a valuable member of the squad.
Lewis Charnock - Having a really good season playing mainly at loose-forward.
