It seems like an eternity since we saw all you supporters and I know you are chomping at the bit to get to the ground and get behind the lads after we got our approval from Tameside Council to have fans back inside Bower Fold.

There will still be some elements that are not normal about the experience as social distancing remains in place but to have our own fans in the ground and getting behind the team will be something special and something that we have all been longing for.

The timing is good because it is an important game this weekend against a Widnes team who have only had a marginally better start than us so both teams will be looking for the win without a doubt.

We put in a much-improved performance against a much-fancied York side last week and for the whole of the first half there was no doubt we were the better team.

The sending off of Tom Nisbet, on his debut, was obviously a blow and although the talk was positive at half-time, and indeed we started the first 10 minutes of the second half well, York eventually found a way to make the extra man count, just as they should have done with the quality in their side.

The final scoreline was disappointing because I don’t think it reflected the game but now, we have to make sure we put in an 80-minute performance this weekend.

One thing is for sure, we need a little bit of luck to go our way.

I don’t think we have yet been able to field our strongest 17 and even the sides we have put out have been affected by one thing or another resulting in even more disruption to gameplans, substitutions and things of that nature.

We even went one better last week when head coach Matt Diskin was forced to isolate!

He was back at training last night and raring to go and it is good that he is back to prepare the lads even though Brendan Sheridan stepped up and did a great job – just as we knew he would.

The lads are really looking forward to seeing the fans at the weekend and hearing the noise as you get behind them.

We have another new lad at the club in Louis Senior from Huddersfield Giants, and let’s hope he gets off to a better start than Nisbet from Saints did last weekend!

Don’t forget the game is live on Our League if you can’t be there in person but either way, enjoy the game!