By Martin Morgan

Last updated 11:58, Friday, 09 May 2008

Workington Town boss Dave Rotheram has been taking tips from old St Helens pal Kieron Purtill on how to transform Workington Town’s fortunes.

The pair were on the Knowsley Road coaching staff together, and Purtill is now assistant coach at Super League Huddersfield Giants.

The Yorkshire outfit made a disastrous start to last season, losing their opening seven matches, before turning around their season and winning the next nine to reach the play-offs.

“It was a long losing streak they had, and he told me what they did with the team, to focus on the positives with the players, rather than reinforce the negatives,” Rotheram said. “Also a couple of different things to do in training, to build self-belief.

“We have 15 games left and we are going to restart our season. We’ll divide them in to five lots of three, and if we win two out of each three, it will put us in the play-offs.”

Town and next week’s visitors Doncaster, the unbeaten NL2 leaders, both have a free weekend.

Doncaster were due to play title rivals Barrow tonight but the Raiders are in Challenge Cup action against Super League Wakefield on Sunday.

Doncaster assistant coach Tony Miller said: “It is disappointing not to be playing – especially as we’re in such good form – but it gives the players opportunity to recover from a few bumps and bruises. We’ve not got a big squad so it will be good for us to recharge our batteries.”

Town’s reserve-grade host Batley tomorrow at 2.30pm.