Higgin, one of the club's directors of rugby, had given the team a fiercesome half-time team talk after they trailed Heaton Moor 26-10 last week in the opening North Lancashire/ Cumbria game.

The Vale went on to win 38-26 and Higgin and his coaching colleagues were hoping that would be a wake-up call ahead of this Saturday's game with Oldham.

Higgin said: "It was a rude awakening on Saturday. We knew we were so much better than the way we played and to watch that abysmal effort in the first half was so annoying and frustrating.

"I just got in first at half-time! I had to let them know what I thought but now I want my life expectancy to go back to normal!"

The team are looking forward to a return to Powder House Lane.

"Everyone in the club who has been involved through the summer can't wait. If we put in a good performance, then the result will follow from there."

Skipper Neil Bennetts returns after being unavailable last week, taking over from Ian Bird in the centre with Bird on the wing.

After an impressive performance in the A team, Marc Aboud makes his debut at number eight. Malcolm Fowler joins Phil Jackson and James Bryan on an experienced bench.

Higgins said: "We are very excited about Marc. He is really enthusiastic, has a good character, has been very strong in training and had a very good game for the second team on Saturday.

"As skipper, Neil set as fantastic tone during the summer at training and we missed his leadership on Saturday, he would have settled us down and helped us take more appropriate options."

This will be the first meeting between the two clubs since Oldham visited Powder House Lane in 1976, the Vale winning 51-0, with Brian Bonney converting five of the Vale's eight tries, in addition to kicking two penalties.

Oldham lost on Saturday at home to Wigton, 15-5. Last season in North Lancashire/Cumbria, they finished sixth, winning eight of their 20 games. In the first round of the Lancashire Trophy, Oldham lost to Burnage, 24-0.

This Saturday's game is at 3pm.

Vale of Lune: N Hull, A Richards, C Orrick, N Bennetts (capt), I Bird; N Foster, J Hodder; D Halliwell, G Barton, A Sutcliffe; D Perry, L Farnworth; C Lamb, D Lin, M Aboud. Reps: P Jackson, M Fowler, J Bryan.

* Vale have been drawn at Eccles in the second round of the EDF Energy Senior Vase to be played on October 18.