Last updated at 11:56, Friday, 07 September 2012

Oldham's two wins against Workington Town this season will count for nothing when the rivals meet in the Championship One play-offs on Sunday, reckons Dave Bowden.

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The Roughyeds are the only side to do the double over Town this season, winning 24-14 at Derwent Park in March, and again at Whitebank last month, where their 28-18 victory virtually put paid to Town’s title hopes.

“Those games are water under the bridge and won’t matter on Sunday,” said Town chairman Bowden. “When it comes to knockout rugby, anything can happen. League form doesn’t count either way, whether you have won or lost. If we can get a decent team out, we’ll see how we go.

“Every team that goes in to the play-offs wants to get to a final, and we are no different. We reached a final last year and would love to do it again.

“If we get a few players back, we are definitely in with a chance. We can mount a serious challenge.”

Town will go into the game as favourites, having enjoyed a fine campaign, although they faltered a little in the closing weeks due largely to injuries.

They will run checks on full-back Brett Carter and hooker Graeme Mattinson. But the versatile Marc Bainbridge has suffered a suspected broken bone in his hand.

“It’s quite sore at this stage and we will see how it progresses,” Bowden said.

Oldham’s acting coach Martin Roden said: “It’s always tough up there and we’ll be going as underdogs, given that they finished third, and won promotion, and we finished sixth.

“In a sudden-death game like this, it’s all about how each side plays on the day.”

First published at 11:28, Friday, 07 September 2012
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk