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Bidding for a semi spot

14/ 5/2008

IT WILL be a case of ‘friends reunited’ for Oldham coach Steve Deakin and Wakefield counterpart John Kear when the Roughyeds visit Belle Vue in the last eight of the Carnegie Challenge Cup.

Kear was coach of the Sheffield Eagles side which defeated Wigan Warriors in the cup final 10 years ago with Deakin acting as his assistant.

A fortnight on from a 10th anniversary reunion dinner featuring many of the 1998 Sheffield side, coach and assistant face off against each other on the weekend of May 31-June 1 for a place in the semi-finals.

The Wildcats currently lie sixth in Super League with seven victories from 13 games, a run of form acknowledged by Oldham chief executive Chris Hamilton.

He said: "We know they have quality players and they are a good Super League side, but we want to make sure that we go there and give a good account of ourselves.

"Upsets in ties like this are more of a rarity these days, but we will be going to Belle Vue with plenty of confidence and in the hope that we can cause one."

Progress in the cup comes at a price as it means a third league game will have to be rearranged with Oldham down to play Doncaster on Friday, May 30.

Although it means another midweek away trip, following on from similar games at Gateshead Thunder and London Skolars, Mr Hamilton believes it shows the club’s progress.

He said: "We have a few league games now to be played in midweek, but that's the price you pay for relative success and we are delighted to be where we are.

"The very fact that we are still in the Challenge Cup and the Northern Rail Cup shows that we are not a bad side, and the hope is that we can take that cup form into the league programme as well."