Fringe players out to impress coach

A NUMBER of fringe first-team men will get the chance to impress in the reserves’ friendly at Keighley Cougars tonight (7.30pm kick off).

Luke Menzies and Craig Littler both step down to the second team after turning out in the Roughyeds’ Challenge Cup third round victory over Sharlston Rovers last weekend.

Lucas Onyango, who scored two tries against the amateurs, will do likewise provided an injured ankle holds up, while other first-team squad members in John Hough’s travelling party are Jason Boults, Anthony Bingham and Mark Smith.

The reserves, who begin their league campaign in April, are hoping to follow up last week’s 28-6 victory over Hunslet.

As for the first-team’s home game against Blackpool at Boundary Park on Sunday, five players who didn’t turn out last week are back in contention for places in the side.

Andy Ballard, Paul Highton, Paul Reilly, Marcus St Hilaire and Phil Joseph could all return. In the case of the latter two, hip and knee problems respectively will be assessed at training tonight, as will the shoulder injury which is affecting Jamie I’Anson and the back issue troubling Robert Roberts.

Elsewhere on the injuries front, the club are still awaiting the results of the scan on Stevie Gibbons’ shoulder injury, while Craig Robinson (elbow) is close to making a return to full contact training.


DONCASTER have progressed to the Carnegie Challenge Cup fourth round after the RFL ruled that the result of the abandoned third-round tie against Leeds amateurs Queens should stand.

The Dons were leading 16-12 when the referee called a halt to last Saturday’s match after 63 minutes because of fighting between spectators in one of the stands at the Keepmoat Stadium.

Doncaster, who had come back from 2-0 down at half-time, will now be at home to Championship One rivals Gateshead Thunder in the next round on Sunday, April 5.

The RFL board have referred the matter to the League’s compliance department for them to conduct a full investigation into the incident.