ALTHOUGH they have only three points from a possible eight so far in Betfred League One, players and staff of Oldham Rugby League Club have reason to be upbeat and optimistic about Sunday’s history-making visit of new club Cornwall FC to the Vestacare Stadium, kick-off 3pm.

Notwithstanding the new boys’ three defeats in the three games they’ve played so far - perhaps to be expected from a club starting up from scratch - Roughyeds go into the game with full-back Owen Restall in scintillating form.

And that alone is enough to suggest that the home side will have too much strike power for the Cornishmen.

The 26-year-old Yorkshireman is currently out on his own at the top of League One’s try-scoring list with nine in four games - two more than Rochdale stand-off Lewis Sheridan.

A science teacher in Huddersfield, the former Ovenden captain and Great Britain Community Lions nine-a-side star demonstrated he can handle more than Bunsen burners by running in seven tries in his last two outings - four against bottom club West Wales Raiders but, even more impressively, three against third-placed Rochdale Hornets at the Crown Oil Arena.

Add his other two - one apiece against Keighley Cougars and Hunslet - and you have a full-back who is rapidly becoming the talk of the town (well, the town’s rugby league community at any rate).

His reputation is on the rise and he’ll be looking to enhance it even more come Sunday.

But there are other reasons too for the Oldham dressing room’s upbeat mood.

The two hugely talented 18-year-olds from Wigan Warriors, stand-off Logan Astley and hooker Tom Forber, have had their loan deals extended and will thus be available for selection.

Brad Jinks, who has missed the last two games with a groin problem, has been cleared to resume full training, while the word on the Roughyeds street is that powerhouse prop Jordan Andrade will be available to return to the side after missing the Rochdale derby while on honeymoon.

On the debit side, winger Tommy Brierley has been ruled out for the season with a broken leg and a smashed-up knee (anterior cruciate ligament), but coach Stu Littler is more than happy at the form of his replacement, Liam Copland.

“He’s been outstanding in the last two or three games,” said Littler.

“Our thoughts are with Tommy and we’ll be supporting him all the way during his long months of rehab, but the reality of sport is that when one door shuts another opens.

“Liam Copland is taking his opportunity in fine style.”

Half-back Dave Hewitt suffered a recurrence of hip trouble, which forced his withdrawal from the derby in the second half, and it remains to be seen whether he will be fit.

Second-row Jason Muranka, concussed in pre-season and still to play his first league game, had his latest scan last Sunday. Results are awaited, but as he hasn’t played for so long he will need a week or two of full training before he is available for selection.

Meanwhile, Cornwall head coach Neil Kelly said were “many positives” in their opening three defeats at North Wales Crusaders, at home to Midlands Hurricanes and then at Doncaster.

Their first home game at the Memorial Ground in Penryn attracted a crowd of more than 1,400.

They have a dual-reg agreement with Bradford Bulls with which they welcomed Odsal trio Coby Nichol, Joe Burton and Jay Myers into their squad to face Doncaster where they lost 52-16.

Kelly, who is looking to strengthen his squad all the time, said: “We’ve got a decent team, but you don’t achieve anything with a team; you achieve it with a squad.”

n Local amateur club Waterhead Warriors, who have won the BARLA National Cup and the local league's Standard Cup, have been invited to do a lap of honour on Sunday.