Workington Town have signed two amateurs from the community game to boost their depleted squad.
Joe Kirkup and Ryan Scott have been brought in after Town only had three substitutes for Sunday’s game at Sheffield.
Kirkup, 27, is a strong running prop forward, equally at home in union or league, having played for clubs as diverse as Silloth and Langholm at Union.
Last October he played the full 80 minutes for the England Fire Services team and scored a try.
He has also played locally at youth level for Hensingham, as well as a senior with Aspatria and currently with Glasson.
Scott, 22, is also from a dual code background. The son of Aspatria coach Mike Scott he has played centre and stand-off for the Black Reds. He has also represented the Royal Navy Under-23s.
In rugby league he has been playing for Cockermouth, starring in a loose forward role.
Scott, a talented player, has been targeted by leading Union clubs but has pledged his allegiance to Aspatria for the 2022/23 season.
Both players have been registered as trialists with the RFL although the Cumberland ARL is still waiting for a courtesy call to confirm.
The two newcomers have been training under Chris Thorman at Derwent Park and will be available for selection this Sunday when Town take-on local rivals Whitehaven at Headingley in the Summer Bash.
Connor Davies, who was allowed to leave Town for Haven on loan earlier this month, will be in the opposing squad.
There has been speculation that Ciaran Walker, who has chosen to leave the Town squad, would also be signing for Whitehaven.
But that appears not to have been completed before Friday’s deadline and the scrum-half is more likely to join his former community club Seaton Rangers.
Town also have new injury concerns with highly-rated forward Caine Barnes side-lined for up to six weeks with a broken bone in his foot.
Declan O’Donnell has returned from Oldham with a new injury following a month’s loan while Jake Lightowler is a long term absentee while recovering from knee surgery.
A message from the Town board said: “Following the board request to reduce contracts for the remainder of the season, we’d like to thank all of the players who agreed. The club is enormously grateful and humbled for the way in which the vast number of our squad has acted in a very difficult situation.”
