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Goulding aims to end Roughyeds' home record

26/ 4/2008

HORNETS travel to Boundary Park tomorrow determined to end Oldham Roughyeds 100 per cent winning home record.

It’s eight months and 10 games since Oldham were last beaten at Boundary Park - by Welsh club Celtic Crusaders

Since then, in a variety of competitions, the Roughyeds have turned over Swinton Lions (three times), London Skolars, Workington Town, Salford City Reds, Hornets, Hunslet Hawks, York City Knights and Whitehaven.

They've won six of those games on home soil this season, including a 38-8 defeat of Hornets in the group stages of the Northern Rail Cup on 29 February.

Honours this season, though, are even, both clubs having won two of their four encounters, with home advantage having been the key.

Nothing would give Bobbie Goulding and his men, not forgetting the fans, greater pleasure than to return from Fortress Oldham with a win under their belts, and the Hornets’ coach is quietly confident this can be achieved.

He said: "If our pack goes well I think we are a match for anyone in our division. I think we have one of the best back rows in National League Two in Paul Alcock, Ian Sinfield, Wayne Corcoran, Hughes and Craig Farrimond.

"We also have six prop forwards who can be devastating, plus Dave Cunliffe as a utility player, so we are getting there.

"This is a game we aim to win. We are going to go out and get stuck straight in. We know what Oldham do, they know what we do, and it’s really about who performs on the day, who wants it most.

"If we play like we did against Hull we can be a match for anybody.

"The lads are up for it. We are going to give it a right go. It’s important we get off to a good start and maintain it. We have to play for the full 80 minutes. If we can do that we will be fine."

Changes may be forced on Oldham coach Steve Deakin because loose-forward Tommy Grundy is almost certainly out with a back injury and centre Craig Littler is doubtful with a damaged leg. Into contention will come Chris Baines and new signing Ian Hodson.

GOULDING has signed powerhouse prop forward Yusuf Sozi from Sheffield Eagles. The 26-year-old joined the South Yorkshire club from Doncaster for the 2007 season but failed to play a game due to complications with a broken leg sustained in 2006 with Doncaster.

The former York and Gateshead prop is raring to go, and the Hornets’ coach can’t wait to see him in action.

He said: "Yusuf is a big explosive prop who scores lots of tries from close range. He played for the National League Two side against New Zealand a couple of years ago.

"We need to work on his fitness, but he will be a great addition to the squad now John Cookson has been recalled by Leigh."