Featherstone Rovers v Halifax: Let's end on a high note
Published Date:
22 August 2008
By James Roberts
HALIFAX boss Matt Calland has urged his side to finish the regular season on a high at Featherstone tomorrow - regardless of events in South Wales tonight.
The potential rewards on offer at Post Office Road depend largely on the result of league leaders Salford's clash with Celtic Crusaders at Brewery Field, with a win for the Reds opening the door for Fax to regain second spot on the final day of the league programme.
Victory for the Crusaders would leave Fax adrift in third - and facing a tortuous sudden death route to the National League One Grand Final - but either way Calland wants his side to set the right note ahead of the start of the play offs next month.
"For the last six or seven weeks I've been talking about building some momentum," said Calland, a former Rovers player who spent three seasons with the club between 1993-5 before going on to win England honours with Bradford Bulls.
"We still haven't managed to do that and tomorrow is going to be our last chance.
"It will be disappointing if Salford don't manage to do us a favour tonight, but whatever happens down there we need to finish well.
"Featherstone is never an easy game: the pitch is small, the crowd are pretty vocal and they're always a strong, physical side.
"They get great go forward from Stuart Dickens, Tony Tonks and Sean Hesketh and Anthony Thackeray and Paul Handforth cause problems for teams off the back of that.
"I've got some great memories of playing at Rovers, and some great friendships with people I played with, and I am looking forward to going back there."
The make up the side that Calland takes back to his former club depended largely on events at today's final training session.
Eight of the 10 players who suffered injuries in last weekend's 38-28 defeat by Celtic trained on Thursday night, with on loan Wigan forward Mark Flanagan (torn stomach muscle) and half back Ben Black (torn quadricep) the notable exceptions.
"We'll have another look at them today, but they are both struggling," said Calland.
"We've trained with Thomas Coyle at half back, which is the position he likes to play, and I am sure he will do a great job for us if we need him there.
"The rest of them hobbled through the other night and we'll patch them up and get them out there."
The full article contains 415 words and appears in n/a newspaper.
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Last Updated:
22 August 2008 2:48 PM
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Source:
n/a
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Location:
Halifax