Smile! The weather's taken a nice change for the better, it's a short week at the foundry and Hornets clash with their nearest and queerest neighbours in the traditional Good Friday clash. Be in no doubt, John Harbin's arrival at Old... er... Ashton has kicked their season into life. The Roughyeds seem to have shaken off the despond of player exoduses and the exit of Mike Ford and pulled themselve up by the bootlaces to look more like their old, ugly selves.
Given the pasting we took at the McAlpine - and the thumping that Leigh took by the Midgets - their result against Shuddersfield looks like a phenomenal effort - driven no doubt by sky high morale and a huge dollop of team spirit. We've seen at far too close quarters in recent weeks that enthusiasm and sheer will to win will take you a long way, so we'd better be on our mettle come 3 o'clock on Friday.

And Harbin's been busy shoring up his squad too, this week taking ex-Wire/'Haven winger Chris Campell on loan and signing perpetual prodigal son Steve Molloy (who obviously fancied Batley more pre-season).

As for the rest of the Oldham side, stand up the usual suspects. Cleggy, John Hough and Paul Norton make a redoubtable front row, Lee Doran and Brian Henare a non-stop second row. At half back, prodigy John Braddish joins forces with Neil Roden to give nightmares to most pairings in the NFP - another two to keep a very close eye on; big games required from Agar and Tawhai.

On paper it's as good a side as the Biffs have had for a while, which is why Hally will be keen to see Hornets pull the obvious improvement against Doncaster through to a full 80 minutes.
With another convincing win for the 'A' team on Tuesday evening, there seems to be a stream of players banging on the first team door - all of them capable of stepping up and making a significant contribution. Indeed, it was a pleasure to see Watto back in action last Sunday - he provides the constant, steady momentum that grinds sides down. Shame we couldn't really capitalise on it.

As for the National Cup, most fans seem to see it as a pesky interruption to the season. Described elsewhere as a Mickey Mouse competition, we'll see who's not really interested when the quarter finals heave into view - my suspicions are that, by then, it will have taken on its own importance and most of the contenders will want a piece of the action.

Regardless of the competition, a game against Oldham always stirs the blood a bit more briskly. Both teams and supporters will have a far better Easter if they leave this one with a victory and - once the whistle blows on Friday - it's another chance to sing your head off and get one over the old enemy. It's the local derby to beat all local derbies and, like all previous meetings, the underlying subtext makes it a mouthwatering prospect. Forget the eggs - this is the real treat this Easter. Let's get behind the lads - you'd be mad to miss it.