Last updated at 09:49, Saturday, 19 May 2012

New recruit Mark Calderwood has been tipped to star for Workington Town – by his former Super League pal Jamie Thackray.

Mark Calderwood

The ex-England ace will debut against table-topping Doncaster at Derwent Park tomorrow (3pm), after turning out this year for Pennine League Division Five side Farnley Falcons in Leeds.

And Thackray reckons the former Leeds, Wigan and Hull flyer, who is still only 30, is looking up for the challenge.

“Obviously, he’s looking sharp and good with the ball,” the forward said. “He’s been player-coach, helping out a team, so he’s kept in shape.

“But he’s played Super League all his career, so he was in good shape anyway.

“He’s a good defender, and if he gets in the clear, only one thing will happen and that’s a try for us. He will still have all his pace.

“If he plays well for us he’s in the shop window. People are getting Super League deals at 35, 36, 37, 38.”

Calderwood has this week taken the place of Stephen Dawes, who coach Gary Charlton stressed will get more chances in the team.

“Mark’s a proven try-scorer and we need to get him up and running. When you’ve got a fella like that you must give him every chance to get on the field and show what he can do,” Charlton said.

“Stephen will be a bit down, but he hasn’t done anything wrong and will definitely get his chance again.”

Doncaster pulled off a last-gasp win at Workington in 2011, but Charlton believes Town are a tougher proposition this season.

“They beat us on the last play of the game, we threw it away,” he continued. “They scored after the hooter had gone and that made it feel twice as bad. We were beaten three times in the last minute that year, but we learned from it and came back a better team.

“Later in the season we went to Doncaster and rattled up a few points. They have recruited well and have some good players this year but so have we.

“We just have to keep defending as we have been. To keep Barrow down to three tries last week and also rattle a few in was pretty good.”

First published at 08:54, Saturday, 19 May 2012
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk