Lock Lane play their first home game of the National Conference League season on Saturday and the Round six tie pits the Castleford outfit against Rochdale Mayfield.
Lane have certainly turned heads in 2022, from knocking Thatto Heath Crusaders out of the BetFred Challenge Cup through to defeating them again on their own ground two weeks ago.
A boiler room fire rendered the club without hot water and they have switched fixtures to play away at Wath Brow Hornets and Thornhill Trojans
"The Challenge Cup run gave us a bit of a buzz," Head Coach Paul Couch said, "We've been playing some good rugby and we've been racking up some points. I think we are averaging thirty-eight points a game, but we are conceding an average of eighteen. We travelled over the Thatto a couple of weeks ago and ran in some points at their place and there are not many teams that are going to do that this year!"
Still concerned with the defensive aspect he admitted that unless it improves "it will come back to bite us at some point this season. We need to look at the other side of our game as well."
"Rochdale Mayfield are an aggressive side, it will be a tough game but at this moment in time, we are playing with a bit of confidence. We really respect Mayfield, Cole Connolly goes really well for them and I believe they have signed a couple of Australians who we need to look out for as well, but it's more a matter of us getting our game right."
Saturday will also see Lock Lane raising money for the Give a Duck Foundation. This is a charity that cares and raises money to support children with Cancer ensuring that children receive their own "chemo duck" to offer comfort and support from the start of their journey.
It is a cause close to Lock Lane's heart.
Couch explained, "Paul Brown, a senior player at Lock Lane, he and his partner Jodie lost a little boy, just over a year ago to cancer, which was a horrible thing. The club really pulled together for them."
"We've put together this foundation day. A pound from every adult that pays in will go to the charity, the players have all bought warm-up t-shirts off the foundation and the players are going to pay to play which will all go towards the cause. There will be raffles after the game up in the bar."
"I may have spoken about us flying high and doing well, but I'm more proud of the boys for what they are doing with this than anything else, it's fantastic what they are doing."
Rochdale Mayfield have two wins and three defeats from their first five games. Head Coach Sam Butterworth said of their form, "I think this season, the up and down is just trying to get a fully fit squad together. One week we've had three missing, then we'll get two back, and then four missing."
"The Hunslet Club Parkside game last week is the closest we've got to having a full-strength team out. I think that performance shows that when we get the right people on the pitch, we can build on performances."
"It's a massive ask for the young lads at the club to step in and play top NCL teams and put on the same performance as players who are experienced at that level."
Looking ahead to this week's challenge, Butterworth has sought the ear of Rochdale Hornets and former Mayfield boss Matt Calland, whose semi-professional side thwarted the Castleford team.
"I've spoken to Matt about them, and he's given me a few pointers from when Hornets played them. We know they are a physical side, they like to go forward really quick, they're not bad with throwing the ball about so we are going to have to be on our mettle, especially defending our own line. When they get down into that twenty they come away with points a hell of a lot, so we'll have to work on our goal-line defence I think."
"They use their pack really well, so our pack will have to stand up and front up against them. If we can get in the arm-wrestle, maybe we can come out the other side. Our outside backs are performing pretty well so I'm going to be looking at our pack."
There is no doubting that the play-off chasing Rochdale Mayfield will have to be at their best.
The action kicks off there at 2:30pm.
Other games to look out for include tonight's game between Thatto Heath Crusaders and Leigh Miners Rangers in the Premier Division, Hull Dockers trip to Stanningley in Division One, Woolston Rovers clash with Barrow Island in Division Two, while Hensingham take on Shaw Cross Sharks in Division Three.
National Conference League Round Six:
Premier Division Fixtures:
- Thatto Heath Crusaders v Leigh Miners Rangers
- Hunslet Club Parkside v Pilkington Recs
- Lock Lane v Rochdale Mayfield
- Wath Brow Hornets v York Acorn
- Thornhill Trojans v Egremont Rangers
- West Hull v Siddal
Division One Fixtures:
- Ince Rose Bridge v Kells
- Milford v Skirlaugh
- Myton Warriors v Wigan St Pats
- Oulton Raiders v West Bowling
- Saddleworth Rangers v Featherstone Lions
- Stanningley v Hull Dockers
Division Two Fixtures
- Bradford Dudley Hill v Hunslet Warriors
- Clock Face Miners v Normanton Knights
- Dewsbury Celtic v Crosfields
- Heworth v Beverley
- Wigan St Judes v Dewsbury Moor
- Woolston Rovers v Barrow Island
Division Three Fixtures:
- East Leeds v Batley Boys
- Hensingham v Shaw Cross Sharks
- Millom v Eastmoor Dragons
- Oldham St Annes v Leigh East
- Waterhead Warriors v Bentley
