FLAMING JUNE got off to a great start for Oldham Rugby League Club who kept their unbeaten home record intact on the first day of the month with an impressive 46-16 win against London Skolars.
With five league games in June it will be a crucial period for the Roughyeds, who have set their sights on finishing in the top two because its from those positions that clubs get the best advantages on offer in the end-of-season play-offs featuring the top five.
Before the month is out, Scott Naylor’s men will have followed the London game with key fixtures against Hemel Stags (away), South Wales Scorpions (home), Gateshead Thunder (away) and Oxford (away).
Naylor said: “It will be a crucial month for us, but the signs are good. We are getting better each time we play, and although we are tucked in third place at the moment, with a game in hand on Hunslet, we have only been beaten once in nine outings and there isn’t another team in the division can match that.
“Players are fighting to keep their jerseys and its a pleasure to be working with them right now. We are trying to be a little bit more expansive with the result that the backs are coming more into it and starting to produce quality rugby, which should stand us in good stead over the next few weeks.”
Wingers Mo Agoro and Dale Bloomfield, who enjoyed the merry month of May by scoring regularly, opened up in June as they mean to carry on, Agoro scoring twice against London and ‘Bloomers’ adding one to his tally for the season, which now totals 10.
He is in the top three of the division’s leading scorers, while former Leeds Rhinos youngster Agoro, a student of sports science at Huddersfield University, has scored in each of Oldham’s last five games and earned a place in various Championship One team-of-the-week and team-of-the-month selections.
Big talking point for the fans at present is Naylor’s rotation policy on selection, highlighted by his decision to leave out club skipper Lewis Palfrey for the last two games and, instead, partner Brett Robinson at half-back with on-loan Steve Roper.
Naylor insists that with only one team going up, via the play-offs, it is essential he uses his squad wisely in a bid to ensure that Roughyeds reach their peak at the business end of the season.
He will have learned much from last year, when his side seemed to have gone past their sell-by date come play-off time, and ultimately went down to Rochdale in the final.
Away from first-team matters, the club has paid to become a licencee of the RFL’s ‘Play Touch Rugby League’ scheme, which will be launched locally as Oasis Academy Oldham, Hollins Road on June 11.
Billed as the fastest growing form of rugby league in the world, this concept is for anyone aged 14 or over.
Sessions at Oasis will be held every Wednesday night between 7pm and 9pm, with games available either for teams of between six and ten players or for individuals, who will be placed in teams.Cost is £20 per team per week or £3 per individual per week.
Contact the club for further information on 0161 624 9630 ext 70552 or to book go on line to www.playtouchrugbyleague.co.uk and follow the ‘where to play’ and ‘North-West’ links to arrive at Oldham Rugby League Club.
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