Last updated at 12:05, Friday, 23 March 2012

Egremont Rangers will face a powered-up Oldham in tonight’s Challenge Cup third round meeting at the Recre (8pm).

Tony Benson, coach of the Championship One leaders, warned they would take no liberties against the in-form amateurs, who have started the campaign in fine style.

“We’ll certainly play the strongest team we can against them,” said Benson, who is always wary of amateur opposition in the cup. These games are tough because they offer something totally different. Amateur teams are full of enthusiasm and are not predictable like pro teams.

“They don’t react the way you expect, and we have to play a lot more off the cuff than usual.

“We have a solid foundation and are doing the little things well, which is good. We are not getting many points scored against us and the attack is coming together, though we haven’t worked that much on it.

“It has gone pretty well for us over the last four games, but there’s still a lot to do.”

Winger Lucas Onyango, who scored seven tries in 10 games last term before rupturing his achilles, is set for his seasonal debut.

“He’s a Kenyan flyer who’s raring to go,” added Benson who has lost pacey John Gillam after suffering a bizarre accident.

The 27-year-old smashed his left foot on a door frame after jumping out of bed when still half asleep.

Paramedics gave him morphine and rushed him to hospital where he had an operation to repair a compound fracture of the big toe on his left foot.

Surgeons corrected the injury by use of two surgical rods designed to keep the bone in place and he is expected to be out for six weeks.

First published at 11:30, Friday, 23 March 2012
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk