Oldham to host St Helens in pre-season friendly

​Oldham have announced a pre-season game against St Helens, to be played at the Vestacare Stadium on Saturday, January 18, 2020, kicking off at 7.30pm.

On view will be the Roughyeds' full first team and a strong select Saints side built round approximately 13 first-team squad players who will not be involved in Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook's testimonial game against London Broncos at the Totally Wicked Stadium the following day.

Admission prices at the Vestacare Stadium will be £10 for adults and concessions and £2 for under-16s. Transfer to seats in the stand will cost the usual £2.

This will be the Roughyeds' third and final pre-season run-out before the big Championship kick-off against Widnes Vikings at Bower Fold on Sunday, February 2 (3pm) and will be the only opportunity fans have to see Roughyeds play in Oldham in 2020.

Club chairman Christopher Hamilton said: "Saints approached us to play a match to give their first-team squad players a match as they have only one pre season friendly this year which is being treated as a full-blown workout. 

"Some of the players who will feature against us will be well-known to fans of the game and it will be a very tough test for us against mainly full-time players.

"It is exactly what we need, ahead of a challenging season, and it means we won't now have a three-week gap before the first league game against Widnes on February 2.

"It also gives our fans a chance to see the lads in action in Oldham, given that our first friendly was at Barrow Raiders, and the next one will be for the Law Cup and played at Rochdale this Sunday, January 12.

"With the reduction in admission prices it would be great to see as many fans as possible at the match as we welcome to Oldham one of the top rugby league sides in the world, and the best team in Super League in 2019."

New coach Matt Diskin's squad won 22-18 at Barrow with a starting line-up that included several new signings, among them full-back Dan Abram, centre James Worthington, half-back Lewis Charnock and sub forwards John Hutchings and Daniel Igbinedion.

By Roger Halstead