Oldham Preview

First ever visit of Oldham to the Butts Park Arena

On Sunday, Coventry Bears face in-form Oldham in a BetfredLeague 1 encounter, another stern test for Tom Tsang and the team.

This will be the first ever visit by Oldham, a former Championship side, to Coventry, although the two teams have met before in 2015, in both League and Cup games but they were both away fixtures for the Bears.

The Bears didn’t play last week, and that gave time out for the team to regroup, rebuild and regain their focus after a series of defeats, some expected, but disappointing none the less. It should also give Head Coach Tom Tsang an opportunity to select from a fuller squad which has had its share of injuries and has also been thinned out by having players on Student International duty.

Oldham are looking strong this season. Whilst everyone’s eyes have been on Bradford, and a resurgent York Knights, Oldham have held their heads up in the following pack and come to Coventry having won their last six games.

By coincidence they scored 74 points in two of their last games, beating Hemel at home 74-6, and scoring 74 without reply in Llanelli against West Wales Raiders.

Perhaps more ominously they managed to beat fancied Doncaster 32-12 last weekend.

Oldham have a larger squad and are able to rotate players plus they have some on Dual Registration, two luxuries the Bears simply do not have.

So, once again, this is not going to be easy, but if everyone is fit and available, the Coventry side have more than enough capability to ruffle a few feathers and give their long established opponents a scare.

Bears Squad to face Oldham  

1. Harry Chapman

2. Jamahl hunte

3. Jason Bass

4. Kam Pearce Paul

5. Errol Carter

6. Paul Emmanuelli

7. Ben Stead

8. Jane Geurtjens

9. Zak Williams

10. Peter Ryan

11. Ben Gray

12. Chris Barratt

13. Chris Vitalini

14. Liam Rice Wilson

15. Mal Lloyd Jones

16. John Aldred

17. James Mason

18. Dan Gover

19. Brad Sheridan

COME ON BEARS!