OLDHAM v ROCHDALE HORNETS

OLD foes Oldham and Rochdale have the ability to cancel each other out in the race for Northern Ford Premiership points on Sunday.

Oldham are back on track again under the guidance of John Harbin, who names the same 18 that beat Gateshead last week, plus Andy Procter.

"Gateshead were a very game side, but I think Sunday's clash with Rochdale will be like chalk and cheese to last week,'' predicted Harbin, who denied rumours that he has made a bid to sign former player Steve Molloy from Batley.

"There is no truth in it at all. Yes, we are in the market for more players, but I am looking at signing players who can fill several

positions,'' said Harbin. One player he could have by the weekend, however, is Swinton's Anthony Murray, who has been the subject of talks between the two clubs.

Rochdale will be without winger Marlon Billy, who is in need of a knee operation, while Brendan O'Meara and Richard Agar may need fitness checks before they are named to play.

And hard running forward Dave Watson, a player for the big occasions, could be Hornets' coach Martin Hall's surprise choice on the bench.

FRIDAY:

LEEDS RHINOS v HULL KR

HULL KR team boss Gary Wilkinson is looking to the heavens in hope, as his vastly improved side face their toughest test yet on the Kellogg's Nutri-Grain Challenge Cup treadmill.

Wilkinson has been doing the equivalent of a Robins' rain-dance almost every day, trusting that it will make the Headingley pitch as heavy as lead, for their clash with Tetley's Super League side Leeds Rhinos.

"The Challenge Cup is all about upsets in every round, so the more rain the better our chances will be of pulling off a result,'' said

Wilkinson. "My players always perform better when the conditions are tough, so if the going is heavy than I fancy we could cause a shock,'' predicted Wilkinson, even though Leeds snuffed out the much-fancied Bradford Bulls in the previous round.

With Wilkinson able to add utility back Bob Everitt, scrum half Craig Murdock and prop Dave Luckwell to his strong squad, it must give him more than a glimmer of hope.

And, the fact that Hull KR have won 17 out of the last 20 games rolling over from last season, plus that they are third in the Northern Ford Premiership in the current campaign speaks volumes for Wilkinson's train of thought.

SUNDAY:

DONCASTER DRAGONS v VILLENEUVE LEOPARDS

Much improved Dragons go up against one of the top sides from France, Villeneuve Leopards.

The South Yorkshire side are bidding for their first quarter-final place since 1994 while the Leopards reached the last eight before going out at Warrington.

"Let's hope it is us,'' declared Doncaster coach St John Ellis, who has developed an extremely useful squad, based on a sprinkling of youth and vast amount of experience, again this season.

"Five wins on the trot will tell everyone that we mean business,'' he said, pointing to a string of victories over Barrow, Lock Lane (Cup),

Batley, Huddersfield (Cup) and Hunslet. "We are playing with confidence, but we will still treat Villeneuve with the utmost respect,'' warned Ellis, who will run spot checks on goal kicking centre Simon Irving, half back Paddy Handley and back row forward Martin Ostler.

All three have played an important part in Doncaster's resurgent form, while recent wing signing Jason Lee took his try scoring record to 100 with a brace of touch downs against Hunslet last week.

Villeneuve, for their part, are not a side to dismiss having beaten their French counterparts UTC, who take on Wigan Warriors, 16-6 in a recent cup clash between the two sides.

LEIGH CENTURIONS v WHITEHAVEN

ARGUABLY the best two defensive teams in the NFP take up the cudgel in what will be more than a battle of Kellogg's Nutri-Grain Challenge Cup wits at Hilton Park on Sunday.

The Centurions have amassed a vast squad of top class players who coach Paul Terzis feels will prove very difficult to beat this season, while his Whitehaven counterpart Paul Cullen has surpassed all expectations so far by taking the Cumbrians into the top four.

"This is a big chance for us,'' said Terzis. "We have pinpointed this as a game that is within our grasp since the draw was made. We know that we are capable of winning the match if we play to our full ability, but we will not under-estimate Whitehaven one bit,'' he said.

Tough tackling centre Phil Kendrick looks set to miss the match with damaged ankle ligaments, but Willie Swann, Mark McCully, Chris Morley and Paul Norman are all set to return.

Whitehaven boss Cullen is less fortunate. He has five of his first team players sitting out the game, with Mark Cox (broken hand) the latest of the big casualties.

Phil Sherwin has a shoulder injury; Spencer Miller damaged ankle ligaments, Aaron Lester a broken hand and Wesley Wilson as an Achilles problem. All are non-starters, according to Cullen.

"I'm just glad for once that we are playing on away soil,'' was Cullen's surprising pre-match opinion "Our pitch at Whitehaven is like a quagmire with all the recent rain and from what I have seen of the Leigh pitch, it should be a pleasure to

play on it,'' he said. But Cullen is able to recall loose forward Gary Purdham and winger David Seeds, who needs one more try to equal the club record of 148 held by winger Bill Smith for the past 40 years.

Seeds also heads the NFP try-scoring list with 12 for the season, which could prove threatening for Leigh.

WORKINGTON TOWN v HALIFAX BLUE SOX

TOWN could be another outside bet for a quarterfinal place, if they can stay the pace for the full 80 minutes. They ran Hull KR close in an NFP league game last week and while Super League side Halifax are on another level, the Blue Sox might find it difficult adjusting to the surrounds at Derwent Park.

While there are slight doubts surrounding the fitness of key player Martin Wood, coach Gary Murdock is able to choose from an extremely strong squad.

Alan Bone, Kevin Hetherington and Brett McDermott have all reported fit and are included in Murdock's plans.

"It's good to have all three back in contention. We will need all the experience we can muster if we are to be in with a chance of beating Halifax,'' said Murdock.

NORTHERN FORD PREMIERSHIP

KEIGHLEY COUGARS v GATESHEAD THUNDER

THE Cougars will select from a full strength squad as they go in search of their second win of the season.

"We are confident that the game will go ahead this time, so my players are preparing themselves for the chance to take two points from the match,'' said coach Gary Moorby, who watched his side run Whitehaven close last weekend.

"We were in with a shout and I felt that we have taken a lot from that game in the way of being a confidence builder,'' he said.

With Richard Moore and Danny Halliwell staying with Keighley for at least another week on loan, the Cougars should prove to be just too much for Gateshead, who may well give a debut to Russell Hugill, a 20-year-old second row forward who actually signed for Thunder when they were a Super League side.

SWINTON LIONS v DEWSBURY

THE Lions are still desperate to record their first win of the season and coach Tony Humphries has every reason to feel that their luck must change soon.

"It's been our worst start for years, but it hasn't helped that we have been the victims of postponements.

"That has not given the players any chance to get some consistency on their game,'' said Humphries, who will run a fitness check on Dale Holdstock before naming his side.

But Adam Hughes looks set to return to the full back spot, while Humphries is considering switching Jason Roach into the second row.

And the move could prove a revelation, if Roach, who needs two more tries for his century, is given the opportunity to run with the ball.

Dewsbury will check on Nathan Batty and Robin Jowitt before naming their line-up, but coach Andy Fisher is set to play in the front row.

"We didn't give ourselves a chance at Leigh last week, but I am expecting better things at Swinton,'' said Fisher, who hopes of persuading Wakefield's Gary Price to join him as assistant coach have fallen through.

"We couldn't agree on terms, but I don't think we will increase our offer,'' said Fisher.

HUNSLET HAWKS v YORK WASPS

THIS basement battle could prove just as intriguing as a cup-tie. That's the firm belief of both Hunslet's Roy Sampson and York's Leo Epifania.

The Hawks already have two points in the bag from their win over Gateshead and Sampson sees Wasps as their next "pay day.''

"We got the monkey off our backs by beating Thunder, so it's up to the players to go another step further,'' said Sampson, whose new-look side has the potential to slay more than just the Wasps.

The recent signings of Scott Dyson, Mick Johnson and Jason Firth from Gateshead have caught the imagination of everyone.

"This is a massive game for us and could prove to be the kick-start to our season,'' said Sampson.

York also see it as their chance to get some points on the board. Aussie coach Epifania, who has found it a major culture shock since

arriving in England from Sydney, also counts this as his big chance. "I feel that we are above Hunslet's level, even though they have the edge in the league placings. This is our chance to turn things round.

"There are a couple of injury doubts, but nothing crucial, so there can be no excuses if we don't perform,'' said Epifania, who is expected to name the side which lost to Villeneuve in the cup two weeks ago.