Cougars going for notable double
1:56pm Friday 25th July 2008
Cougars boss Barry Eaton has labelled their trip to Oldham as the “defining game of the season”.
Keighley could complete a notable league double over Steve Deakin’s side on Sunday but there is much more than just that and three points up for grabs.
It’s third versus fourth in the National League Two table and the outcome could have a massive bearing on both sides’ promotion plans.
However, Eaton – whose in-form outfit dumped leaders Gateshead and trounced Swinton in their last two outings – said: “We’re not looking at it as a pressure game.
“We’re looking at it as an exciting one and it’s probably the game of the round too. We know it’s going to be tough but we’re looking forward to it.
“Oldham are looking like they’re hitting some form and are expected to get promotion, whereas we’re just expecting to carry on the good work we’re doing.
“We beat them at home though so we know we can give them a run for their money.”
Eaton has a slight concern over skipper James Feather, who has a knock to his knee, but the hooker is expected to be fit.
Mick Fogerty completes a two-match ban so second-row Richard Knight may continue at centre after filling in there during the win against Swinton.
However, Ollie Pursglove could return, having safely come through a Reserve Grade game on his return from injury.
Eaton also knows specialist centre Pursglove destroyed Oldham the last time the sides met at Cougar Park in April.
Former Keighley boss Deakin has set his current side the challenge of maintaining a 100 per cent record until the end of the season.
They are unbeaten so far at Boundary Park, where they defeated fellow promotion hopefuls Doncaster 36-16 last week.
“With a bit of luck we can start to put a bit of pressure on Gateshead now but we can’t really look at what other teams are doing,” said Deakin.
“We can only concentrate on what we can look after and if we do that then I think we’ll be okay.
“If we’re going to go up automatically then we need to win every single game remaining.”
Oldham are likely to include Luke Sutton, the prop who left Keighley last month, on the bench, while former Bulls star Marcus St Hilaire is in red-hot form on the wing.
Big-spending Oldham have plenty of other Super League experience in the shape of Mick Nanyn, former Halifax winger Daryl Cardiss and Rob Roberts.