IT’s here at last! Our first game in home surroundings at the Vestacare Stadium in six weeks.
When Roughyeds play derby rivals Swinton Lions down Whitebank Road this afternoon (3pm kick-off) it will be the first time they’ve run out at the Vestacare Stadium since Cornwall were here in late April.
Since then, we’ve played away games at Doncaster, at North Wales Crusaders and at London Skolars — three games in six weeks, all away and the last one on a Friday night in London after a six-hour journey to the capital.
It will be good to be back on our own patch and to be watched by several of our ex-players, including winger Scott Ranson, second-row man Shane Tupaea and prop Ray Hicks.
We currently lie in seventh place with two wins and a draw (5 pts) from our eight games, while Swinton lie fourth with six wins from eight (12 points) and with defeats at home to North Wales Crusaders and away to Keighley Cougars.
This week they’ve signed outside back Josh Milthorpe on loan from Batley Bulldogs and he is in contention to make his debut, as is our own loanee Robbie Butterworth, a 19-year-old half-back from Wakefield Trinity.
Regular Lions hooker Luke Waterworth is a long-term injury victim, so the No 9 role for the visitors will go to former Oldham man Matty Wilkinson or to recent signing George Roby from Huddersfield Giants.
Yesterday’s results: North Wales Crusaders 12, Keighley Cougars 56; Cornwall 20, London Skolars 24.
Today: Doncaster v Hunslet; Midlands Hurricnes v West Wales Raiders; OLDHAM v Swinton Lions.
