YORK Wasps have the ideal chance to finally get their season up and running when they travel to Oldham Roughyeds tomorrow.
After defeats in their first three games, the Wasps, like any club with new a coach and players, are beginning to find their feet, with encouraging signs shown in the narrow reverse against Batley Bulldogs.
And, after the weather prevented any action in the last two games, York will come out all guns blazing for their clash against a beleaguered Oldham side.
But coach Leo Epifania is trying to put Oldham's problems to one side.
"They maybe have a few problems but this could well motivate them more," he said. "We'll just concentrate on getting our own game right and if their problems help us, then great."
Having reached last season's Northern Ford Premiership Play-off Final last season, where they lost to Widnes Vikings, the wheels seem to have come off Oldham's 2001/2 campaign before it has even started.
Back-to-back defeats in their opening two games and the loss of highly-regarded coach Mike Ford to rugby union - the ex Great Britain stand-off has joined the Irish RFU as their defence coach - have left the club rocking.
Coupled with this are the problems the Roughyeds have faced over where to play their home games. The club feel they were forced out of last season's home at Boundary Park because of a hike in the rent, while a move to Ashton United FC's ground has not been without its difficulties, with initial concerns over safety.
However, everything is set to go ahead tomorrow at 3.30pm - barring any intervention by Mother Nature - and York Wasps are raring to go.
"The players are itching to play," said coach Epifania. "The fact things are coming together is promising. The players are starting to feel comfortable with each other and with myself.
"It's been disappointing that we haven't played for the last couple of games but we've still managed to get our training sessions in, even though the ground has been a little bit hard."
The same side selected for the Swinton Lions game was set to be named for tomorrow, but, Epifania did admit he is toying with the idea of brining Jamie Benn into the team.
However there would be no place yet for new signing Neil Bennett.
Despite their problems, Oldham have a side packed with experience.
The signings of Widnes duo Simon Knox (prop) and Tommy Hodgkinson (loose forward) in the close season have added a certain steel about the pack, while they have the exciting talents of former Castleford Under 21s full-back Mark Sibson and twins Anthony and Dave Gibbons - who all followed Ford from Bramley RL - in the backs.
Due to the unpredictable weather, Oldham will hold a pitch inspection at around 10.30am tomorrow.
The squads are:
Oldham: Sibson, Dodd, D Gibbons, Goddard, McNicholas, Braddish, Roden, Knox, Hough, Clegg, Farrell, Doran, Hodgkinson, Barber, Casey, Guest, Cowell, A Gibbons.
York: Sorbello, Mulholland, Austerfield, Hall, Molloy, Liddle, Cain, Precious, Edwards, Docherty, Deakin, Ramsden, Lee, Barrow, Kirke, Hutchinson, Waite, Benn.
Updated: 10:58 Saturday, January 05, 2002
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