ROCHDALE HORNETS v FEATHERSTONE ROVERS

ON-LOAN standoff Radney Bowker is certain to return to the Hornets line-up for the home game against Featherstone. Bowker missed playing against his registered club Salford last week and that proved a costly exercise for Rochdale, who failed to find the right formula on the day.

Team boss Martin Hall moved Jon Roper from centre to link with scrum half Ian Watson, but it didn’t have the anticipate effect on blotting out the deadly partnership of Gavin Clinch and Cliff Beverley. Thus Bowker will be back for the remaining two league fixtures, while Hall will put second row forward David Stephenson, winger Marlon Billy and centre Matt Calland through late fitness tests.

Featherstone boss Andy Kelly sprung a surprise at Batley last week by naming teenager Danny Patrickson as stand-in for the injured Richard Whiting.

But Kelly, who is desperately concerned about Rovers failure to win away from home yet again, expects Whiting to be fit to resume against Rochdale this week. Ex-Huddersfield Giants centre Chris Langley is also fit after his knee operation, but promising forward Andy Bailey will have to wait on the outcome of s specialists report on a niggling back injury before he can resume training.

“We hope to lay the away hoodoo that has haunted us all season,’’ said Kelly.

SALFORD CITY REDS v LEIGH CENTURIONS
BUOYANT Salford go into this National League one “crunch clash’’ with joint National League One leaders Leigh brimming with confidence.

High-stepping forward Gareth Haggerty has recovered from injury after missing the home win over Rochdale and could win a place on the bench.

Salford’s potential match-winner Cliff Beverley, who heads the try-table on 36, could be the key player in this confrontation, but he will face his biggest challenge yet in the shape of Centurions play-maker Tommy Martyn. That dual for supremacy could decide the outcome with the Salford man desperate to show he can hack it against a player once rated as one of the best in the Tetley's Super League.

The Reds, who report a clean bill of health, also have Alan Hunte in fine form, but he too faces tough opposition in Leigh’s Damian Munro, who has so far bagged 30 tries this season, one more than Hunte.

“It’s a game that could settle a few issues,’’ agreed Salford’s Steve Simms, while Leigh boss Paul Terzis feels that it’s another chance for his side to put one over on the Reds.

“We haven’t done that well in previous games, but that’s in the past. We are looking to the future and what we are planning for,’’ said Terzis.

With tough tackling centre Phil Kendrick and winger Leroy Rivett in danger of missing the game for Leigh, it could rest on the goal-kicking of talented full-back Neil Turley and the Centurions experienced pack to challenge Salford’s supremacy.

OLDHAM v BATLEY BULLDOGS
COACH Steve Molloy returns from a one-match ban to lead Oldham in their penultimate game ahead of the play-offs and puts his trust in the team rising to the occasion against his former club Batley.

“We need to win to stand a chance of reaching the top six,’’ said Molloy. With Chris Morley and Lee Marsh both sporting shin injuries and Simon Svabic, (finger), Will Cowell (knee) and Neil Roden (dead leg) all on the treatment table, Molloy may have his work cut out to name a strong side.

“Batley have suddenly hit some form so we can expect a fiercely contested game,’’ warned Molloy, who could spring a surprise by naming on-loan winger Chris Percival from Widnes Vikings in the squad, provided he comes through a late fitness check. Percival was one of three signings made by Oldham prior to the transfer deadline, Craig McDowell on trial with Huddersfield Giants, and Bradford Bulls winger Nick Johnson being the other two.

Batley will run checks on Gavin Swinson (knee), Mark Sibson and Mark Cass, with Swinson the least likely to win the fitness race. Anthony Spink (dead leg) is also a doubt, but coach Paul Storey feels that Steve Beard is the player most likely to come in for Swinson.

But Batley’s key man is ex-Dewsbury and Widnes scrum half Barry Eaton, who currently heads the goals table on 127, equalling club’s record held by Simon Wilson in 1994/95.

“Barry has been an inspiration all season, but more especially in the last few games,’’ said Storey.

DONCASTER DRAGONS v WHITEHAVEN
TEAM boss St John Ellis admitted his ploy to fool everyone into believing Graham Holroyd had returned to Huddersfield last week failed to pay off.

“I just hoped it would create a smoke-screen to give us the edge over Hull KR, but it didn’t’’ admitted Ellis, who is now hoping that Holroyd will remain with Doncaster for the final two games.

With Marvin Golden returning from Widnes Vikings on loan and Doncaster beating the deadline with the signing of 19-year-old Craig Cook from Hull also on loan, the Dragons should have enough fire power to “do the double’’ on Sunday’s opponents Whitehaven.

Golden wasn’t fit enough to face Hull KR, but he will make his bow on Sunday, according to Ellis, who has Gareth Lloyd poised to return from injury. Loose forward Craig Lawton and second rower Peter Green have also pledged their allegiance to Doncaster by signing two-year contracts, revealed chief executive Ray Green. Whitehaven boss Steve McCormack is hoping for a repeat performance from his side on the back of the win over Oldham.

“It was an important win for us,’’ said McCormack, who feels that the return of forwards Gary Purdham and Carl Sice will prove an effective move at Doncaster. However, Matt Sturm (ankle) and Paul O’Neill (knee) are extremely doubtful.

DEWSBURY RAMS v HULL KR
RELEGATED Dewsbury have lost French centre Sylvain Houles to Wakefield Trinity Wildcats ahead of their penultimate game of the season in National League One. Coach Andy Fisher, who will replace Houles with Kevin Crouthers, didn’t want to stand in his way.

“We can always live in hope that Sylvain will come back to us at some point in the future,’’ said Fisher, who is now planning his strategy for League Two involvement next year.

Meanwhile, Hull KR fans were shocked to learn that busy hooker Jimmy Walker is out for the rest of the season with a broken arm. Walker played a major part in the Robins win at Doncaster before going to hospital, according to coach Steve Linnane, who will probably bring Paul Pickering into the front row. Winger Dean Andrews and Chris Stephenson could also return from injury.

“We won’t be under-estimating Dewsbury, even though they are going down,’’ said Linnane, who is also without suspended prop Jamie Bovill until the play-offs.

NATIONAL LEAGUE TWO

YORK CITY KNIGHTS v CHORLEY LYNX
THE Knights have it in their hands to turn the formbook upside down against National League Two pacesetters Chorley. But coach Paul Broadbent, who was expected to have his long-awaited knee operation sanctioned this week, will have to achieve that with a much-weakened side after newly signed back George Mack broke his leg in three places against Workington last week.

Mack was one of three York signings ahead of the deadline and his injury underlines the problems that have beset York this season.

“We have been decimated by injuries lately,’’ said chief executive Steve Ferres, who feels that Chorley will prove a difficult hurdle to overcome. “They are the form team at the moment,’’ he said.

With halfbacks Carl Hughes and Matt Cain, plus second rower Kevin Spink all doubtful, York are depleted to say the least. But beware the injured animal, warns Chorley coach Darren Abram, who is taking one game at a time, even at this stage of the season.

“We are not looking back at our victories, but thinking about the next game,’’ said Abram. Young prop Lee Rowley and Dave Ingram are two possible additions to Abram’s plans for this game.

Lynx fullback Mark McCully is also in sight of a club record. He needs nine more successful goal kicks to pass Phil Jones’ record of 101 in the 1998/99 season.

WORKINGTON TOWN v LONDON SKOLARS
TOWN have utility forward David Petit returning from injury for the home game against rejuvenated Skolars.

Craig Barker, who was on the bench last week, came through a tough training session to declare his fitness, while amateur Andrew Fearon could be given another chance to prove his worth.

Coach Billy McGinty, who has secured the services of back row forward Gareth Dean for a further 12 months, will run checks on Scott Chilton (groin), Anthony Horton (ankle) and prop Matt Tunstall (leg) before naming his line-up.

Skolars, who secured their first win of the season at Gateshead’s expense last week, have Corrie Bennett in at half-back for Gareth Honor, while Danny Reeves is expected to replace the injured Brett McCroary in the second row.

“The players will be in the right frame of mind after our first win of the season. We were very disappointed to lose to Workington last time,’’ said proud coach Mark Croston.

BARROW RAIDERS v HUNSLET HAWKS
THE Raiders are battling for a place in the top six and coach Cameron Bell is hoping a win over the Hawks will substantiate his claim. Having lost to league leaders Chorley last week, Barrow will want to erase that memory and put Hunslet to the sword, but they may have to go into battle without key players Chris Archer (back) and Phil Atkinson (shoulder) who both aggravated their injuries last week.

“We only had 13 fit players in training before the Chorley game,’’ revealed Bell, but Steve Jackson’s return has alleviated some of the problems this week.

Hunslet, who could guarantee themselves a top four place with a victory at Barrow will run fitness checks on Andy Bastow (knee), Andy Brent (shoulder) and Wes McGibbon (arm), with Brent the least likely to pull through.

Team boss Roy Sampson, who confessed that the win over Swinton Lions was one of the “best team performances of the season,’’ has Sean Ibbetson, David Brook and Joe Hawley on standby to travel.

GATESHEAD THUNDER v SHEFFIELD EAGLES
THE pressure may well be off Thunder coach Paul Fletcher following his decision to step down at the end of the season, but he would still like to move on with some pride.

“I would like to think we could finish on a high note. We started the season with two wins, so we should aim to finish the same way,’’ he said ahead of the game with promotion challengers Sheffield Eagles.

“I have taken Gateshead as far as I can, so perhaps it’s time for someone else to take the helm,’’ confirmed Fletcher, who said he will take stock of any coaching offers that may come his way.

With top try scorer Damien Reed, Dave Jessey and David Bates all doubtful, Fletcher may be forced to go into his penultimate game with another under-strength side.

The Eagles, aiming to regain top spot have ex-Great Britain prop Dale Laughton back from injury, while Nick Turnbull may need a late fitness test on a groin strain.

“Gateshead will no doubt be smarting from their defeat against London and will want to catch us off guard, but we must rise above any ideas they have about winning,’’ said Eagles’ veteran team boss Mark Aston, who will again take the field for Sheffield.

SWINTON LIONS v KEIGHLEY COUGARS
LIONS boss Peter Roe hopes his side can bounce back from last week’s defeat to outwit his hometown club Keighley. Phil Hassan, Rob Russell and Peter Cannon have all boosted that aim by declaring their fitness, with only Chris Hough a likely non-starter with a hand injury.

“We ran them close at Keighley, but last week’s defeat at Hunslet was a massive blow to our confidence,’’ said Roe. The Cougars have lost halfback Adam Mitchell with a fractured collarbone, which leaves the gate open for the return of goal-kicker Paul Ashton. Mitchell’s loss is a major concern for team boss Gary Moorby, who felt he was just running into top form at the right time.

“I really feel sorry for Adam. He has been playing better than ever and had formed a good understanding with Matt Firth. It’s a big blow to lose him at this stage of the season,’’ said Moorby, who was today boosted by the news that Jason Ramshaw received a sending-off sufficient verdict after being dismissed in the game at Barrow.

Simeon Hoyle also returns from suspension for the Cougars.