ROUGHYEDS head to the Gateshead International Stadium this Sunday in search of their first win in nearly 10 years, writes Kasey Smith.
Despite notching a 74-0 win over Newcastle at home earlier on in the season, Oldham’s record in the North East is an unenviable one with Thunder coming up trumps in each of the last three remaining fixtures.
Oldham will be heavy favourites to win, in spite of their poor away record given the gulf in class between the two sides.
Thunder are currently four points adrift and rock bottom of League One, having lost all ten of their games this season.
Their league standing is no surprise for the side who once had lofty ambitions of Super League, after their main benefactor pulled out at the end of the 2023 season.
Surviving the withdrawal of support and still having a team able to compete in rugby league’s third division was seen as a huge achievement with results on the pitch secondary, at least for now.
But Oldham, bruised from their past two fixtures, know that they will underestimate sides at their peril.
Stand-off Danny Craven, in the aftermath of his last-gasp winner against North Wales a fortnight ago, admitted they had been “out-enthused” in recent weeks.
It was not until the last minute that Oldham took the lead against Carl Forster’s men who had been winless in five matches. Boss Sean Long will once again be looking for an 80 minute performance on Sunday, which has eluded them since the 62-0 win over Hunslet.
Thunder will put up a fight as they did against Rochdale Hornets at the end of last month.
Hornets, who fielded a strong side, clung on for a 24-18 away win, having come under heavy pressure in the remaining ten minutes from the inexperienced Newcastle.
Coach Chris Thorman, who will have watched Oldham’s past two games, will believe his men have a good chance of an upset – it’s up to Oldham to show their title credentials and put those hopes to bed early on.
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