MAL Holt admits opening-day opponents Hensingham are “a bit of an unknown quantity” for his Woolston Rovers side as they prepare to kick off their National Conference League Division Three campaign.

Rovers welcome the Cumbrian outfit to Monks Sports Club on Saturday, kick off 2.30pm, as they look to bounce back from missing out on promotion in the play-offs once again last season.

Whitehaven-based Hensingham have made the step up after being a dominant force in their regional league and are set to be tough opponents, but Holt hopes the work his players have done in pre-season has paid off.

“Our training has gone well and we will be raring to go come Saturday afternoon,” he said.

“We’ve had plenty of additions which have improved us, both on the playing front and coaching wise.

“We hope that all our hard work in pre-season will come to fruition and we can get off to a winning start.

“Hensingham will be a bit of an unknown quantity but they have a great reputation, so we will be prepared for a tough encounter.”

Meanwhile, it was a mixed bag of pre-season results for both Rovers and Crosfields’ as the open-age teams of both clubs met in a double-header on Saturday.

The Rovers ‘A’ team beat their neighbours 24-16 in the curtain-raiser but could not make a good first half count in the first-team game.

The hosts led 8-6 at half-time but Soap, who ply their trade in the division above, scored 28 unanswered points after the break to secure a 34-8 victory.

Jack Reid and Phil Brazendale scored twice each for Ian Boden’s side after the break to go with a further effort from Liam James, with Jack Lewis kicking four goals.

“I’m very pleased with the performances,” Soap head coach Ian Boden said.

“The seconds were always going to struggle with a lack of a bench, and the firsts needed half time to compose themselves being on the receiving end of a 14-7 penalty count and going in 8-6 down.”