Eaton confident ahead of tough Oldham trip

9:55am Thursday 24th July 2008

Comments (0)   Have your say »

BARRY Eaton has warned Oldham his Keighley Cougars are in a positive mood ahead of their crucial promotion showdown.

Third will meet fourth on Sunday as the two sides jostle for playoff positions. The Cougars overcame Oldham 26-12 in their fourth game of the campaign but since then Oldham have only lost twice more, to league leaders Barrow and Gateshead.

But while Eaton - who saw his side overcome Swinton Lions at the weekend - acknowledges a trip to Boundary Park is "as tough as they come", he says his players will have no fear at kick-off.

"We're going to have to put in our performance of the season to win but I certainly feel we are going there with a great deal of confidence after four back-to-back wins," said Eaton.

His side should be boosted by news that skipper James Feather, who sustained a strained knee in the 40-6 win at Swinton, should be fit to keep his place despite missing training during the week.

Eaton added: "It was a satisying performance at Swinton. Our kicking game was probably the best it's been all season and we could pin Swinton back for long periods and when we took our opportunities.

"We are going to be in the play-offs, the players, staff, fans and people of Keighley expect that. But there will be a lot of twists and turns before then. We could go as low as sixth - and that would still be a great achievement - but we've been fourth for a while and we'd like to stay there."

l A high-level announcement is due to be made next week about a major initiative at Cougar Park.

Details of the scheme, thought to be unique in the world of rugby league, are being kept under wraps until a public meeting at Cougar Park on Monday at 7pm.

Several major partners have signed up to the initiative, which is being fully endorsed by the Keighley News.

Editor Malcolm Hoddy said: "There are sound reasons why we can't tell readers about the scheme until next week. What I can say is that when the club approached me to ask if the Keighley News would come on board I had little hesitation in adding our name to it.

"It will not only affect the development of professional sporting organisation in the town, but will also be of a wider benefit to the whole of the town."