OLDHAM old boy John Paterson today pledged to send his former team packing as the race for the First Division gathers pace at Huntington Stadium.

The Wasps assistant coach - a long-serving Oldham scrum-half in the 70s - backed his current charges to give the Roughyeds a rough ride in the Second Division match of the day.

The home side, whose four successive victories have fired them into second place, are seeking to establish their first five game winning run for six years.

The Roughyeds have an identical league record and, like York, they could head the table on Sunday night if leaders Bramley slip up at Barrow Border Raiders.

Said Paterson: "Oldham are probably one of my favourite clubs because I had eight or nine seasons there. I have a lot of fond memories of Oldham but that was 20 years ago.

"I am now at York and it is all about York beating Oldham. Let's go top and go to Bramley on Friday and turn them over. Let's keep in the same vein and go for it.

"Oldham will be a big game and then the biggest game will be Bramley. The mood in the camp is good. Everybody wants a shirt and that is good for us. It is a healthy situation to be in."

Paterson is eager to get the better of current Oldham coach Paddy Kirwan, an understudy to the Wasps assistant during his playing days at the Watersheddings. "I know Paddy really well but I hope we put one over on them," he added.

Coach Dean Robinson named an 18-man squad for the Wasps' last game before the White Rose Championship series starts.

As expected stand-off Lee Hanlan's head injury rules him out and John Strange steps in for his second start of the season.

Other than that enforced change, Robinson may stick with the side which started against Doncaster last weekend. That would leave Alan Pallister fighting for a place on the bench with Jamie Benn, Lea Tichener, Alex Godfrey and Spencer Hargrave.

Said the Wasps' boss: "Strange is an admirable deputy for Hanlan and there will be very little change other than that. Oldham play a similar game to Doncaster, but they probably play it better than Doncaster.

"We cannot get carried away with second place after six games. Our goal is to get to the 16th game in the same position and then start talking realistically about the First Division."

Oldham are likely to be without second rower Martin Maders (hamstring) and prop Jason Clegg (rib), while front rower Michael Edwards is expected to recover from a dead leg.

Roughyeds coach Paddy Kirwan will welcome centre Sean Cooper back into the 17 after three matches out with a rib injury, while second rower Michael Prescott and 18-year-old half-back Darren Robinson also step in.

The major question mark hangs over whether Cooper starts or comes off the bench, as Richard Darkes and Adrian Mead formed an impressive wing/centre partnership in last week's 13-4 defeat of Barrow.York: (probable) Cain, Hopcutt, Sini, Austerfield, Deakin, Strange, Brook, Booth, Dobson, S Hill, A Hill, Flowers, Darley. Subs: from Benn, Godfrey, Hargrave, Tichener, Pallister.

Oldham: (probable) Wilkinson, Darkes, Leuila, Cooper, Eckersley, Barker, Flanagan, Round, Hough, Edwards, Naidole, Shaw, Martindale. Subs: from Mead, Prescott, Robinson, Sinfield, Varley.Referee: Steve Lowe (Leeds)Kick off: 3pm

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