HULL KR v ROCHDALE HORNETS
ROBINS boss Steve Linnane is plotting the downfall of one of his former clubs, Rochdale, but he may have to do so without the services of prop Jamie Bovill and Mark Blanchard.

Both picked up knocks in the defeat at Salford and are in some doubt, but Dean Busby (ribs) and Craig Poucher (hamstring) are expected to return from their respective injuries.

Having beaten Hornets in their Powergen Challenge Cup clash earlier in the season, Hull KR must start as favourites on their home ground.
"I'm looking forward to Craig Poucher's return. He has missed the last five games and we have missed his services,'' said coach Linnane, who has pinpointed the final five homes games as "bankers'' if they are to win a top four place.

Third-placed Rochdale will run a fitness check on Matt Long, but coach Martin Hall could spring a surprise by switching Mick Nanyn to centre and handing ex-Leigh and Oldham winger Chris Irwin his first start.

"It's a game we need to win to keep our top three place in order,'' said team boss Hall, who has stand-off Radney Bowker playing his last on-loan game from Salford.
BATLEY BULLDOGS v SALFORD CITY REDS
TROUBLED Batley expect to make few if any changes for the home game with Salford.

Coach Paul Storey, furious over the way the Bulldogs allowed Doncaster off the hook last week, is nonetheless undecided about make changes.
With second choice hooker Gavin Swinson likely to miss the remainder of the season with a knee injury, Storey is also reticent about allowing Tetley's Super League club Huddersfield Giants to have Chris Lythe on loan for a further month.

"Should anything happen to Mark Cass, we would struggle for cover,'' explained Storey, who is also minus the defensive qualities of David Rourke for several more weeks.

"David is away on a 13-week training course, so we can't see him being available yet a while,'' said Batley chief executive Ron Earnshaw, who revealed that Dave Gibbons is on the mend following his wrist operation and could be available for the play-offs.

Salford also report a full-strength squad back in training and that includes forward Neil Lowe and hooker Andy Gorski. But neither Lowe nor Gorski are expected to make the Reds squad this weekend.

Prop Paul Highton has a suspected broken hand from the win over Hull KR, while Gavin Clinch resumed training following his jaw and head injury from the Arriva Trains Cup final against Leigh and should take over at scrum half from Steve Blakeley. But promising young winger Mike Platt is ruled out with a two-match suspension.

"Batley are a better side on their own ground and I expect them to give us a tough time,'' said Salford coach Karl Harrison.
FEATHERSTONE ROVERS v DEWSBURY RAMS
CHRIS LANGLEY will continue to partner Brendan O'Meara in the centre for Featherstone against Dewsbury on Sunday.

With Ian Brown due to see a specialist over his ankle injury, coach Andy Kelly doesn't foresee many changes to his side, despite the defeat at Oldham.
Carl Briggs picked up an arm injury, but he should shake off the problem and continue his halfback partnership with the fast emerging Richard Whiting, who has stood in well during Richard Agar's absence with a bruised sternum.

"We lost to Dewsbury away earlier in the season, but I'm hoping that our home form will see us through,'' said Kelly.

The Rams are bolstered by the double arrival of ex-London Broncos' French international three-quarter Sylvain Houles and newly-signed former Gateshead utility player Scott MacDougall.

Both are named in coach Andy Fisher's side and will make their debuts, according to the Rams boss.

"We showed a big improvement against Whitehaven last week and that was down to Jamie Benn's return to the side,'' said Fisher, who will play Frenchman Houles alongside Kevin Crouthers and give Aussie MacDougall the hooking role. Ryan Hardy and Adam Thaler will step down from the side that drew 18-18 with Whitehaven.

The arrival of ex-Gateshead Thunder hooker MacDougall, however, stretches Dewsbury's overseas quota so Fisher could well release scrum-half Craig Nipperess from his present contract with the club.

"I'm always trying to improve the side. This club needs to survive this year and players have got to understand that they are playing for their places every week,'' said a determined Fisher.
OLDHAM v DONCASTER DRAGONS
OLDHAM will run fitness checks on forward Darren Shaw and centre Paul Anderson ahead of their home game with Doncaster.

Both missed Monday night's training session through injury, but co-centre Iain Marsh is hopeful of fending off a facial injury in time to play.

Coach Steve Molloy, delighted with his side's win over Featherstone, is still not convinced that his side has turned the corner yet.

"We haven't had back-to-back wins in the league this season and I would like to think this is our best opportunity to do just that,'' said Molloy, who has left a bench spot vacant with the aim to bring in one of his promising youngsters.

Doncaster have added winger Alex Muff and injury-free Martin Ostler to their squad to travel.

Coach St John Ellis is delighted at the probable return of Ostler, who comes back from an 11-week injury spell.

Winger Jason Lee could also win a bench spot, according to Ellis, who believes that Oldham will be a tough clash.
"We have the fire power to go there and do a job on Oldham, but it won't be easy,'' warned Ellis.
WHITEHAVEN v LEIGH CENTURIONS
WINGER Mark Wallace is ruled out of Whitehaven coach Steve McCormack's plans for the weekend game against high-flying Leigh.

Wallace is ruled out with a twisted knee and loses his place in the side to either Paul O'Neill or Steve Wood.

Centre David Seeds is still struggling with a neck injury and must be rated doubtful too.

"We haven't the strength in depth to make too many changes, except for the injured,'' said McCormack.

Injury-hit Leigh have recalled young forward Anthony Blackwood from Chorley Lynx, while Phil Kendrick's two-match suspension and £150 fine for a high tackle in the Arriva Trains Cup Final rules him out.

With Dale Holdstock (ribs), Dale Cardoza (knee), Lee Sanderson (hip) and John Duffy (knee) all non-starters, it leaves coach Paul Terzis with the "bare bones'' of a squad. Pat Weisner is also doubtful with an ankle injury.

"It's always a daunting task going to Whitehaven because they are always a difficult side to beat on their own ground,'' prompted Terzis, whose one bright spot on the horizon could be ex-St Helens Great Britain international Tommy Martyn's possible debut against Batley a week on Sunday.
NATIONAL LEAGUE TWO
LONDON SKOLARS v YORK CITY KNIGHTS
THE Knights have been rocked by a possible long-term injury to player-coach Paul Broadbent ahead of the trip to play London Skolars.

Former Great Britain front row forward Broadbent, a key figure in the York camp, dislocated his left knee in the win over Keighley Cougars and is due to see a specialist to assess the full damage.

"I twisted the knee at Barrow a few weeks ago and it seemed to settle down afterwards, but it's not looking too good at the moment. The injury is still badly swollen and their could be deeper problems,'' explained Broadbent, who could well travel to London on crutches.

New signing Dan Briggs from Hunslet Hawks, ex-Dewsbury prop Andy Burland, or on-loan youngster Joe Helm from Wakefield Wildcats will replace Broadbent, while experienced centre Graeme Hallas returns from suspension.

Doncaster fullback Johnny Woodcock plays his second on-loan game for York and it could well lead to him becoming a permanent fixture at the club.
The fact that Skolars picked up their only point of the season from York makes this game even more interesting.

"They have hit a rich vein of form since we took that point,'' said London coach Mark Croston, who has Rubert Jonker, prop Gareth Janes, Paul Koloi and Andy Craig all added to his squad, while Alex Smits and David Mossop will retain their positions in the side after impressive performances at Barrow last week.
SHEFFIELD EAGLES v BARROW RAIDERS
THE battle for top places continue as Sheffield aim to tame visitors Barrow Raiders.

Having lost to Swinton last week, the Eagles hope to bounce back with a win, but coach Mark Aston needs to consider his options beforehand.

With winger Ian Thompson having played his last game for the club before joining the police and new signing Carl De Chenu having sprung a shoulder playing for the Academy side, Aston will have to search hard to find the right replacement.

Neil Kite could be the choice to play against his home-town club, although Greg Hurst is more than likely to be moved up from the bench.
Richard Goddard came through his first game for some time with no further problems, while ex-York and Rochdale hooker Darren Robinson could well have pushed himself into the reckoning following his splendid game for the Academy side.

Barrow boss Cameron Bell is delighted to have Aussie Dave Clark fit and well after his first game in months for the club, while Andy McClure has recovered from a virus problem.

But nippy halfback Chris Archer has a shoulder injury that needs treatment and could well force him to miss the game.

"On our day we can turn Sheffield over,'' said confident coach Cameron Bell, who has turned his Barrow charges into a team to be feared with in National League Two.
KEIGHLEY COUGARS v CHORLEY LYNX
LEAGUE leaders Keighley, shaken by two successive away defeats, return to Cougar Park in the hope of hitting winning form again.
Visitors Chorley, will, however, not make it an easy task, according to Cougars coach Gary Moorby.

"We have hit a blip and it's not too unexpected, but we had a very constructive team talk this week and hopefully it will pay dividends. We are well aware that Chorley are playing well, but we haven't lost at home yet in the league,'' said Moorby, who welcomes second row forward Ricky Helliwell and winger Karl Smith back into his squad.

Chorley will be without Leigh's on-loan forward Anthony Blackwood, who was recalled by the Centurions this week, while Simon Smith (holiday) and Dave McConnell (work commitment) are ruled out of coach Darren Abram's plans.

"It's a big blow to the club at this point in time to lose Anthony Blackwood, but it might not be for too long,'' said Abram, who reports that Ian Parry and Tim Street are both struggling with injuries.

Meanwhile, prop Dave Whittle has been told he will have to undergo a complete knee re-construction before he can play again.
WORKINGTON TOWN v HUNSLET HAWKS
TOWN are hoping to clinch the signing of Chorley scrum-half Martin Gambles ahead of Sunday's home game with Hunslet.

Gambles has not caught the Lynx line-up for some time, which prompted Workington coach Billy McGinty to get in touch with the player.

"Martin would be a great asset to Workington. I have worked with him in the past when he was at Wigan and know what his capabilities are,'' said McGinty, who is also in the market to strengthen the side at centre.

With no injury worries from last week's game at Chorley, McGinty can look to name an unchanged side, although Shaun Boylan has a slight groin strain.

Hunslet could be minus loose forward Danny Fearon (badly bruised ankle) and fullback George Rayner (knee). Fearon has the worst injury and could be out for up to three weeks, but with Jonlee Lockwood and Steve Price set to return, coach Roy Sampson should have no difficulty switching the pack round to accommodate Fearon's loss.
GATESHEAD THUNDER v SWINTON LIONS
THUNDER return to their Gateshead ground for the first time this season and with Swinton as guests, it promises to be a big occasion.

Gateshead coach Paul Fletcher, however, had his hopes of bringing prop David Bates back into the squad dashed by his failure to recover from a knee operation.

"We thought there was a remote chance that David could be fit at the beginning of the week, but that doesn't seem to be the case,'' said Fletcher, who raised £500 for the club's funds from his charity abseil down the Tyne Bridge.

The Lions could be without Aussie prop Danny Tyres, who picked up a broken nose and mouth injury in the closing stages of the win over Sheffield last week.

But Kris Tassell, who cried off just prior to that game and Chris Smith (back from holiday) boost coach Peter Roe's plans.
"I will probably keep the same format that beat Sheffield last week,'' forecast Roe.