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Goulding battles to make match fitness

Mike Floyd
25/ 2/2005

HORNETS' boss Bobbie Goulding hopes to be fit, if not fighting fit when his team travels to Preston Grasshoppers' ground on Sunday to take on Blackpool Panthers in the Northern Rail Cup.

Goulding has been under the weather with a bout of flu, but he expects to be at the match.

Hornets need a win, but the home team will be no pushover, having taken Oldham Roughyeds to the wire in a 22-20 defeat in round one.

They followed up with a battling display against Swinton Lions. This time their losing margin was 10 points.

The most familiar Panthers' names to Hornets' fans will be Liam McGovern who played at Spotland last season and Willie Swann who is also a former Hornets' player.

There is also the competitive Chris Hough who always likes to get one over on his former club.

Coached by former Salford star Mark Lee who made a big impression in charge at Chorley last season, Panthers should offer a tough test for Hornets.

But Goulding is more concerned with his own players and how they perform. He said: "It all depends on us and how we turn up and play.

"If we are ready and we are up for it I'm positive we will win and nobody will beat us. But if we go half-cock and drop below 100 per cent who knows.

"We have had two weeks to think about the Swinton defeat, we've trained well, and the lads are really up for it."

Andy Leathem misses out due to a fractured shoulder.

Radney Bowker will also be absent having undergone keyhole surgery on Monday.

He is back on his feet and hopes to return in three to four weeks.

• HORNETS have a home draw against Pennine League side Illingworth in the third round of the Powergen Challenge Cup.

Goulding was pleased to be drawn at home and said: "It's a good draw for us. We don't fear anyone at home and with the calibre of player we have in the squad I'm confident we can go through to the next round."

The full draw is: Waterhead v Sheffield Eagles, Doncaster v Stanningley, Haydock v Hunslet, London Skolars v Pia, Wath Brow Hornets v Dewsbury, Rochdale Hornets v Illingworth, Barrow v East Hull, Oldham St Annes v Whitehaven, Siddal v Hull KR, Castleford Lock Lane v Halifax, Blackpool v Toulouse, Workington v Wigan St Jude's, Sharlston v Oldham, Castleford v Hull Dockers, Elland v York, Gateshead v Union Treiziste Catalane (UTC), Keighley v Strela Kazan, Featherstone v Thornhill, Swinton v Locomotiv Moscow, Batley v St Gauden's.

Ties will be played on the weekend of 12-13 March.