Doncaster RLFC's month of road trips will be no holiday

Doncaster RLFC's Betfred League One promotion credentials will face a searching examination next month.
Liam Harris has left Doncaster to join Hull FC. Photo: Rob TerraceLiam Harris has left Doncaster to join Hull FC. Photo: Rob Terrace
Liam Harris has left Doncaster to join Hull FC. Photo: Rob Terrace

The fourth-placed Dons hit the road in three of their four games during June.

Richard Horne’s men kick off the month at Oldham on Sunday week prior to entertaining Keighley and then travelling to Cumbria to face Workington and title favourites Bradford.

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“We’ve got some really tough fixtures coming up in June and it will test our squad but it’s not a make-or-break month for us,” said Horne.

The club will reach the halfway stage of their league campaign during the month.

“Our goal at the start of the season was to be in the top four at that stage and if we are then we will be happy,” said Horne.

“We have spoken about the next few weeks and we are looking forward to it because these are the games you want to be playing in. I’ll find out a lot about the players.

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“Oldham are a big powerful team, similar to Hunslet. They play it tough and they are direct and we’ll have to handle that.

“If we don’t it’s going to be a tough day at the office but you’ve got to beat those sort of teams if you want to be up there at the end of the season.

“As I say, it is a tough run of fixtures in June but we’ll be better for it.

“Playing (bottom club) West Wales the previous week and putting 70 points past them didn’t help in the build-up to the Hunslet game.

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“That sort of win can give you a false sense of how you are travelling. You can think you are going really well.

“Hunslet came here at the weekend having played some tough teams and battle-hardened. I’d expect us to be similar to what they were in the second half of the season and competing to pick up points against the top teams.”

The departure of scrum-half Liam Harris to Hull FC last week is a massive setback to the club’s promotion hopes.

The likely unavailability in the coming weeks of dual-registered full-back/stand-off Hakim Miloudi due to Hull FC’s injury problems is another huge blow.

Powerful and pacy, the French international is a match-winner at League One level and it is probably no coincidence that he has missed all three of the club’s League One defeats this season.