Oldham want good form to go on against Wire

Oldham beat Featherstone Rovers last week, which coach Scott Naylor felt was a real improvement from their defreat to Whitehaven the week before.

Now he is preparing his team to face Super League outfit Warrington in the Challenge Cup, but his team have already beaten one Super League side in the competition this year, in the shape of Hull Kingston Rovers.

“It was nice to win, we needed it,” said Naylor.

“The important thing was the performance. We were poor in the Whitehaven game, but on Sunday against Featherstone we were really good.

“Warrington are at the top of Super League and there is a vast difference not only in the teams but the clubs from top to bottom.

“We’ll approach it like we approach all our games. We want to get through to the next round but it’s pretty obvious how big the task is.”

Warrington coach Tony Smith is taking nothing for granted, as his team has injuries worries with which to contend.

“We’ve got a few changes this week due to injury but that evens things up a bit,” he said.

“In the last couple of weeks the performances have been pretty sound and we’d like to build on those if we can. For the people who come in, it’s an opportunity for them to continue some of what we’ve been doing.

“Oldham have had some good results lately and they play on what most will regard as a very small pitch so we’ll have to make those adjustments.

“They beat Sheffield and Featherstone recently so they’re on a bit of a confidence high.

“Of course we feel we should be going there as favourites but it’s going to be a tricky encounter and we need to take care of what’s in front of us, play the conditions and give the opposition the right sort of respect.”