Workington Town go on a recovery mission to Hunslet on Sunday after a chastening 70-point mauling by Oldham last week.
Coach Jonty Gorley is demanding a reaction against a side who also conceded 70 points against Oldham but then won at Whitehaven last week.
Gorley labelled the defeat at Stalybridge as totally unacceptable after the game had been lost early on as they went on to concede 44 points in the first half.
Five prominent players are missing through injury – Spencer Fulton played against Oldham but missed out with HIA protocol while still missing are Evan Lawther, Stevie Scholey, Ross Ainley and Jake Bradley.
However the good news is that Zarrin Galea and Jack Stephenson return to the squad while teenage prospect Tyce Walmsley, who has been playing on dual registration with Kells, is brought in.
Head Coach Kyle Trout and his players and staff are ready to attack the next few matches on what he has described as the ‘defining part’ of the season.
He said: “It’s a nice feeling to win three League games on the trot. We did take a beating at Whitehaven, and we have bruised and broken bodies, but we are confident that we can turn it on for the home crowd.
“The lads understand the way we want to play, and we saw improvements in our defence up in Cumbria.
“There are tests to come in the next few weeks, but we really think this next month could define our season.”
Hunslet have won three in a row Championship games at Keighley and Whitehaven, as well as at Nrewcastle at home but in among those was the 74-24 defeat at Oldham in the 1895 Cup.
Talking about Town, Trout said: “They are physical and quick round the ruck, Jamie Doran is a threat with lots of experience. They would have pinpointed this game to win, but we will go after them.
“We started well last week, and if we play at our tempo and don’t allow them to get physical, we are not afraid to expand early on and shock teams.”
- Town: J Ainley, Carter, Castle, Corkill, Dickinson, Donaghy, J Doran, O Doran, Farrer, Galea, Graham, Leigh, Lewthwaite, Phillips, Rawhiti, Reid, Stephenson, Walmsley, Wear, Williams.
- Hunslet: Jowitt, Harrop, Gaskell, Abram, Hallas, Gilmore, Battye, Berry, Simpson, Watson, Carr, Ward, O’Hanlon, Graham, Walker, Hatton, Lumb, Qareqare, Butterfield, Baldwinson, Diskin.
