News
TWO BOBS BLACKPOOL FOCUS
3rd June 2009
OLDHAM skipper Robert Roberts, twice a winner of the Northern Rail Cup or its equivalent, believes the final at Blackpool is fast becoming one of the major events on the rugby league calendar for clubs below Super League.
'Two Bobs' was man of the match, with Paul Reilly at full-back, when Huddersfield trounced Hull KR 32-6 at Featherstone in the 2002 final of what was then the National Cup.
Four years later, playing at loose-forward in a Leigh Centurions side coached by Tony Benson, he was a cup winner once again when Leigh hit back from 16-2 down to pip Hull KR 22-18 in a cracking Northern Rail Cup final at Bloomfield Road.
On a hot July day which attracted a crowd of 7,500, Leigh had Danny Halliwell and Lee Greenwood in partnership on the left flank and a pack which included two former Roughyeds men in Dana Wilson and Tere Glassie.
Speaking ahead of Oldham's Thursday night quarter-final showdown with Featherstone Rovers at Leigh, Roberts said the Northern Rail competition was increasing in popularity and status year on year.
"I love playing in it," said the Roughyeds captain. "It's a great concept for clubs in the two Co-operative Championship divisions. We are getting ties televised live by Sky, and the final is getting bigger each year.
"Fans used to go to Blackpool for the day. Now they're going for the weekend and making it a two-day celebration of rugby league.
"It would be fantastic for the club and our fans if we could get to the Blackpool final this year, and that's why our last-eight clash with Featherstone is so important. There is a lot riding on it."
Thursday's quarter-final is a repeat of the 2007 second division Grand Final at Headingley, which Featherstone won 24-6 to win promotion to the higher level.
Of the 17 Oldham players on duty that day, Craig Littler, Lucas Onyango, Neil Roden, James Coyle, Richard Mervill and Roberts are still at the club.
Prop Tony Tonks, who broke his ribs in that final, joined Featherstone soon afterwards and is hoping he will be in the 17 to face his former club.
"They have a big pack," said Roberts, "and their full-back and two wingers return the ball strongly to put the whole side on the front foot.
"I've played in the same team as their coach Daryl Powell, and he has also coached me. He and Iestyn Harris provide the team with a lot of knowledge and heaps of experience.
"Iestyn and I, and Paul Highton, have played in the same Welsh national team on several occasions.
"With Daryl and Iestyn leading them, Rovers will be a very well educated rugby league side, but we know that on our day we can match any club outside Super League.
"It has all the makings of a terrific cup tie, and we hope our fans will turn up in force, as they have done on all our travels this season, to get behind us and give us vocal backing."
