Match thread: 1895 Cup Semi Final, Oldham v Featherstone Rovers, Sunday 18th May 2.00pm

[The Phantom Horseman]

Well, after a disappointing and disjointed start to the season, suddenly we find ourselves going into a semi final on the back of a decent win and with genuine hopes of a trip to Wembley, which would certainly provide a big boost to the club.

We're looking a fair bit healthier than for much of the season and a lot of (though not all) our key players should be available.

There's the very welcome return of Gadwin Springer after his two-game suspension incurred in the league game at this ground. The player likely to give way you'd think will be Jack Arnold.

In fact this might be the least difficult 17 to predict all season. Perhaps the one debatable selection might be at centre; on Sunday at Widnes, Jayden Hatton was replaced immediately after his opposite number slipped past him to score a try, with Bailey O'Connor moving from right to left centre and Josh Hardcastle coming off the bench to fill O'Connor's slot.

Paul Cooke spoke after the game about perhaps having a look to see why we have struggled on that left edge defensively. i don't think it's any one player's fault, but Hardcastle at right centre and O'Connor at left centre is certainly an option.

There was talk about Brad Day being close to being ready for this week or next but it's doubtful he'd be thrown back in to this game, especially with Webb and Boothroyd both making a fair impact at Widnes.

Still, we always talk about our own team when previewing games, but realistically the make-up of the Oldham team is very important to the outcome of this game. They have really struggled with injuries, and might have lost strike centre Jumah Sambou on his return from a long ban with an injury he suffered last weekend (though this hasn't been confirmed).

They are towing a bit in their threequarter line with injuries, but have signed Ben Davies from St Helens and French winger Mathieu Pons to fill the gaps, along with Eloi Pelissier, who will help replace the injured Mattie Wildie. There are one or two others who may or may not return from injury this weekend.

We have moved a little way in the right direction recently with the return of some key players, but as Cooke said after the Widnes game, we will need to be better than that to beat Oldham - Widnes themselves had plenty of injuries and are a pretty moderate team at the moment.

A Wembley trip would be great, so here's hoping we can get the job done.

 

 

Edited May 14 by The Phantom Horseman

[The Phantom Horseman]

I'll add that nobody should underestimate how important this game is for Oldham - they've never been to Wembley before and this is a monster game for them.

[jamescolin]

With a good goalkicker in we should have a very good chance of winning.

[Featherstonerovers2000]

Looks like a new face could feature this weekend

[marklaspalmas]

5 minutes ago, Featherstonerovers2000 said:

Looks like a new face could feature this weekend

Go on then

[Featherstonerovers2000]

James glover from Sheffield 

[The Phantom Horseman]

1 hour ago, Featherstonerovers2000 said:

Looks like a new face could feature this weekend

Doubt it, he's cup tied, and wouldn't have been registered in time either. Anyway, judged on the war of words over his departure, it sounds like his early arrival with us (if it's confirmed) is as much to do with Sheffield deciding they didn't want him for the rest of this year if he wasn't staying next year. Glover has posted his own, very different version of Sheffield's press release.

https://www.alloutrugbyleague.co.uk/news/james-glover-lands-new-club-1152946

Edited May 15 by The Phantom Horseman

[jamescolin]

Has our team been announced?

[gazza77]

14 minutes ago, jamescolin said:

Has our team been announced?

You're a day early, squads are announced 48 hours before kickoff.

[fevnut]

Oldham v Fev: 21 man squads

fevnut has now published ‘Oldham v Fev: 21 man squads’.  

We find it quite difficult to see the potential shape of the teams in the form in which the clubs publish the squads, so we choose to use guesswork based on last week’s teams to set them out in the traditional manner running from fullback to loose forward and then subs.

We also include a chart showing the leading scorers for both teams.

Access the page by clicking on the link below.

https://bit.ly/43k7cN9

[sentoffagain2]

  Just seen the squad of 21 so heres my pick.Aekins Olpherts O connor Hatton Wynne           Reynolds Hampshire Springer Jubb Beckett Boothroyd Webb Addy                                                           Subs Josh ,Jones ,Williams,King V. 18th man Arnold.

[RobLambert]

11 hours ago, sentoffagain2 said:

  Just seen the squad of 21 so heres my pick.Aekins Olpherts O connor Hatton Wynne           Reynolds Hampshire Springer Jubb Beckett Boothroyd Webb Addy                                                           Subs Josh ,Jones ,Williams,King V. 18th man Arnold.

I'd probably leave out Olpherts and Hatton but this must be the best squad we've had to chose from all season. 

[The Phantom Horseman]

4 hours ago, RobLambert said:

I'd probably leave out Olpherts and Hatton but this must be the best squad we've had to chose from all season. 

I was thinking that too but then a bit of a spanner in the works from Cooke in the interview released last night when he was talking about a couple of (unnamed) players who were doubtful with injuries. 

[sentoffagain2]

8 hours ago, RobLambert said:

I'd probably leave out Olpherts and Hatton but this must be the best squad we've had to chose from all season. 

  I couldn't pick between Gale and Olpherts at Widnes but the coach picked Olpherts so i think he will stick with him.Don't see the negativity about Hatton as i said earlier 9 tries in 12 games most of which we have not been playing well.Would you play Josh in the centre and bring Arnold in as sub forward?.If Josh is in the back row he is cover if any of our backs get injured but so is Jones who is much better scooting down the middle.He reads the game so well .

[RobLambert]

4 hours ago, The Phantom Horseman said:

I was thinking that too but then a bit of a spanner in the works from Cooke in the interview released last night when he was talking about a couple of (unnamed) players who were doubtful with injuries. 

Just when there was light at the end of the tunnel

[Squidward]

Josh must be in anyone's 17.

It's a good point that he provides great utility on the bench but he's an 80 min player and therefore finding a place for him in the 13 also makes sense. 

Hatton has been good but I'd expected more after how he'd played against us in the past.

O'Connor has fulfilled his expectations in the last few games having waited for regular game time. He's now the current number 1 centre for me.

Happy to see Arnold back and putting in a decent effort last week. It's usually Goodnight Vienna when we put a player out on loan but he showed his worth and fair play him.

Just looked on the oldham website for tickets for Sunday (I believe our website won't assist). It offers tickets in various sections of stands. Not sure if you will still have access to any section but to avoid uncertainty is there a particular section designed for Fev fans?

Thanks

[Banjorovers]

Jimmy Frizzel stand block 5 but suppose any of the blocks in that stand!UTR

[RobLambert]

42 minutes ago, sentoffagain2 said:

  I couldn't pick between Gale and Olpherts at Widnes but the coach picked Olpherts so i think he will stick with him.Don't see the negativity about Hatton as i said earlier 9 tries in 12 games most of which we have not been playing well.Would you play Josh in the centre and bring Arnold in as sub forward?.If Josh is in the back row he is cover if any of our backs get injured but so is Jones who is much better scooting down the middle.He reads the game so well .

I would always play Josh at centre although it seems that for most of his Fev career the talk has been about him being moved to the forwards.  Fair point about Hatton's tries but O'Connor has scored a few now and has played fewer games.  They are different players - I think O'Connor has better pace / footwork and shows some classy touches whereas Hatton (trying not to sound too negative) is a bit more one dimensional crash bang wallop.  So Arnold comes in.  I think we're assuming Day won't feature. Anyway this will probably be wrong plus there's the unknown injury doubts Cooke has mentioned.  Hope he's just playing mind games.....

[The Phantom Horseman]

50 minutes ago, sentoffagain2 said:

Don't see the negativity about Hatton as i said earlier 9 tries in 12 games most of which we have not been playing well..

I like Hatton but 5 of his tries came in runaway wins against the very weak opposition of Waterhead and Keighley and the only league game he has scored in was our opener against Doncaster. He's decent going forward but our left edge has leaked tries in the last few games and he was substituted immediately after missing a tackle that led to a try at Widnes. To be honest I'm happy with either him or Hardcastle starting there with O'Connor on the other side but I think it's the trickiest decision for the coach this week.

[RobLambert]

31 minutes ago, Squidward said:

Just looked on the oldham website for tickets for Sunday (I believe our website won't assist). It offers tickets in various sections of stands. Not sure if you will still have access to any section but to avoid uncertainty is there a particular section designed for Fev fans?

Thanks

In the league game it was the Jimmy Frizzel end stand.  Car park behind that end.  Extortionate £6.  Tried to find some on street parking nearby but couldn't see anything.  

[Fevrover]

1 minute ago, RobLambert said:

In the league game it was the Jimmy Frizzel end stand.  Car park behind that end.  Extortionate £6.  Tried to find some on street parking nearby but couldn't see anything. 

It's £5 at Fev.

[RobLambert]

33 minutes ago, Fevrover said:

It's £5 at Fev.

There you go - a bargain.  Plus you can always park free a short walk away.  Shame they put that barrier up at the Dr's

[sentoffagain2]

     SKY Bet have it 10/11 both sides with Rovers +2 points start.Those odds look about right ,too close to call i wouldn't risk my brass on this game.

[RobLambert]

4 hours ago, sentoffagain2 said:

     SKY Bet have it 10/11 both sides with Rovers +2 points start.Those odds look about right ,too close to call i wouldn't risk my brass on this game.

Us to win by a distance 

[jroyales]

Too close to call. Like what has been said we are desperately short in the 3/4s. But I'm sure we will give it our best show.

Lot depends on the referee. I suppose you have the same concern about the very poor level of refereeing shown this season - who knows he might have a soft spot for Oldham - I doubt it.

May the best team win and then thrash Bradford at Wembley.