FEATHERSTONE ROVERS v ROCHDALE HORNETS

FEATHERSTONE must fancy their chances at home to Rochdale after their big win over Batley.

Coach Andy Kelly feels this could be a confidence booster, but notes that Hornets are a team in form, even though they lost to Salford.

"It won't be any easy task. Rochdale are a top side, but we must stay confident after our performance against Batley,'' said Kelly.

With Richard Agar (bruised sturnum) doubtful of playing against his former club, teenager Richard Whiting looks set to retain the standoff role for the second week running, while Nathan Graham could squeeze his way back into the squad.

Young prop Andy Bailey (groin) is also a doubt in Kelly's mind. Rochdale could well parade new signing Chris Irwin on the wing, while Radney Bowker's interrupted loan spell from Salford City Reds could well resume if coach Martin Hall manages to tempt him back to Hornets.

Salford have to give Bowker the chance to return to Rochdale, so it's just a matter of Hall persuading the ex-Barrow and Leigh that his career would benefit from being on the Spotland club staff.

Hall is also still trying to coax the former Hornets centre Matt Calland back into the game after he quit Huddersfield Giants earlier this season following a badly damaged. cheekbone.

"Matt has a knee problem which may need surgery, so we will leave things like that for a while,'' said Hall, who will run fitness checks on Dave Larder, Matt Leigh and David Stephenson before naming his line-up.

LEIGH CENTURIONS v SALFORD CITY REDS

NATIONAL League One pace-setters Leigh have it within their grasp to put some extra daylight between them and championship contenders Salford on Sunday.

As hosts, the Centurions hope to offer a hot reception to the City Reds, but that has been made more difficult by the loss of two of their key players.

Ubiquitous hooker Paul Rowley has been sidelined with a broken hand, while ace points scorer Neil Turley look set to sit the game out with a back injury. And, with Dave Alstead sporting a shoulder problem from the win at Dewsbury last week, it doesn't bode well for Leigh. Even though Leroy Rivett, Sonny Nickle and Lee Sanderson have been declared fit to play.

"It's ironic that we released John Hamilton to join Rochdale the same weekend that Paul is injured. But this is a squad game and we will have to get on with it,'' said coach Paul Terzis, who believes that Leigh could well play Salford seven times this season if the pattern down to the Grand Final goes their way.

"We are expecting a top crowd for the game and that should make it a great occasion,'' said Terzis.

Salford look likely to be unchanged from the team that won at Rochdale, but coach Karl Harrison is considering a few changes on the bench with Lee Marsh, Karl Fitzpatrick and Danny Barton all in line to force their way into contention.

"This is a massive game for the club,'' confirmed Harrison.

BATLEY BULLDOGS v OLDHAM

PROMISING standoff Danny Thomas could make his debut for the Bulldogs against Oldham. Bulldogs coach Paul Storey is rushing his signature through in time to play, after Leeds Rhinos gave him permission to join Batley on loan with a view to a possible permanent switch.

"We understand Danny is on loan to Leeds from London Broncos so that needs to be sorted out,'' said Storey, who welcomes back Andy Spink and Mark Toohey for the game.

"We have been missing that extra spark and I hope that Danny will make the difference,'' said Storey.

Oldham will be strengthened by the return to fitness of wingers Will Cowell, Joe McNicholas and Chris Campbell, while top forwards Danny Guest and Gavin Johnson could give coach Steve Molloy some extra push for the trip to Batley.

"We have got to start showing a better application in our game,'' said Molloy, who feels that some of his playing staff are not pulling their weight.

"We had the Whitehaven game in the bag and then blew it,'' said an angry Molloy, who will warn his players not to go down the same path at Batley.

HULL KR v DEWSBURY RAMS

SECOND row forward Andy Smith is Hull KR's major doubt for the clash with basement club Dewsbury.

Craig Poucher (knee) is also in some doubt, but with Nick Pinkney ready to return from injury, he will go in at centre if Poucher breaks down.

"We are coming to a critical part of our season,'' coach Steve Linnane has told his players, but with Latham Tawhai back in top form and the Robins forwards playing to their strengths, Dewsbury will have a tough time of it on Sunday.

The Rams, searching for their second win of the season, were rocked by the decision of Castleford's on-loan prop Glen Spedding to drop out of the game for a while.

"Glen has work commitments which will affect his training time, so he may not play again for us this season,'' said coach Andy Fisher.

That could force Fisher to name himself on the bench for the game at Craven Park, with Richard Slater also signalling his return at loose forward. Chris Redfearn is also poised for a comeback from injury.

"We have had some tough games recently, but I was pleased with our performance against Leigh because we showed a better application,'' said Fisher.

WHITEHAVEN v DONCASTER DRAGONS

COACH Steve McCormack is struggling to name his most effective line-up to face Doncaster on Sunday.

With Aaron Lester and Gary Purdham both sporting ankle injuries and Leroy Joe a major doubt, McCormack is first to name his side only hours before the kick-off.

Dean Vaughan and Spencer Miller are both in need of treatment, while Carl Sice is still a non-starter.

"We are just finding it a little difficult on the injury front at the moment,'' said McCormack.

Doncaster should have experienced centre Simon Irving back on the field to strengthen coach St John Ellis' hopes of taking something out of the game at Whitehaven.

But with the likes of Peter Edwards, Craig Horne, Chris Ross and Jamie Fielden still on the injured list, Ellis will have to rely on youth rather than experience to carry him through.

"We are trying to sign an experienced back, but it may not happen before the weekend,'' said Ellis, who was pleased with the way his injury-hit side still managed to dig themselves in and score 22 points from the game against Hull KR.

NATIONAL LEAGUE TWO

BARROW RAIDERS v CHORLEY LYNX

CAMERON Bell is set to name an unchanged Barrow side against Chorley, provided he can take some of the "sting'' out of his players.

"The biggest worry I have at the moment is that some players are suffering from sunburn,'' revealed coach Ball, whose selection problems have eased quite dramatically in the past few weeks.

With no reported problems from the win over Swinton and Aussie Dave Clark on the brink of a possible return, Bell is quite pleased with the way things are turning round.

"Paul Salmon's return to the club and Tane Manihera's present form are two big plusses at the moment,'' said Bell, whose switch of Chris Archer from halfback to hooker is proving to be particularly shrewd.

Chorley could equal a club record of five wins in a row, if they manage to get the better of Barrow.

It's six years since they last won five on the trot under the banner of Lancashire Lynx, but coach Darren Abram is not tempting providence.

"I'm not looking at records, just concentrating on each game as it comes,'' said Abram, who played for the club during that winning spell.

Eric Andrews (cut hand) is the only Lynx doubt, while news that last seasons' Player of the Year Wayne Bloor is suffering a reaction to his cheekbone operation has put a question mark against any possible comeback.

GATESHEAD THUNDER v LONDON SKOLARS

THUNDER boss Paul Fletcher has told his players they must improve on recent form if they are to hold London Skolars at bay on Sunday.

"I was very disappointed with the way Keighley rolled us over last week. We set ourselves standards and they must be kept,'' he told his players.

With Under 21s prospect Damien Reed still suffering with a calf strain and David Bates in need of a knee operation, Thunder are struggling.

Jermaine Coleman and Ritchie Barnett will also play their last game for the club before they go to Australia for a three-month spell.

But Fletcher could be lifted by the possible return of Skolars' back row forward P J Solomon after the player hinted that he wanted to go back to Gateshead.

Skolars are to hand South African prospect Ryan Hermanson his second row debut, while coach Mark Croston is ready to give Welsh Student prop Graham Hughes a further chance in the front row. Grason McDonald continues in the standoff role, while Stephan Hughes returns from injury.

They will have to play without Brett McRoary who was suspended for one game this week after being sent off for fighting against Swinton.

"We will approach the game at Gateshead with the same positive attitude as we always do,'' said Croston.

SHEFFIELD EAGLES v KEIGHLEY COUGARS

THE Eagles are planning to spike runaway league leaders Cougars' balloon at Don Valley on Sunday.

Coach Mark Aston, delighted with new signing Tom O'Reilly's contribution in the win at Workington, has made it clear that he will be thrilled to be the first side to beat Keighley in the league this season.

"We have beaten Keighley once already this season in the Powergen Challenge Cup, so there is no reason why we can't do that again,'' he said.

With prop Damien Whitter and loose forward Richard Goddard on the brink of a comeback from their respective injuries, Aston will be even more confident if he can name them in his line-up.

The Cougars, with seven scalps already in the bag could be difficult to stop especially with Chris Wainwright, Ritchie Mervill, Gareth Hewitt and Ricky Helliwell all declared fit and coach Gary Moorby will go into the match with a full-strength side.

"We are working hard every week and that, combined with some decent players, is beginning to pay off,'' said Moorby, who is quietly confident that his side can remain unbeaten.

SWINTON LIONS v HUNSLET HAWKS

LIONS coach Peter Roe is set to make some sweeping changes ahead of the game against Hunslet.

The Swinton boss has already released Andy Cheetham and Craig Winfield from his playing register and has issued a threat that more will follow if things don't improve.

As a follow up to that Roe has taken ex-Leigh and Chorley halfback Sarfaz Patel on board and hands him his debut, along with 27-year-old Aussie prop Daniel Tyres. And Roe is preparing the way to blood two ex-St Helens academy players in the same game, provided he can get their registrations through in time.

But in the short term Roe’s life was not made a great deal easier by the two-match suspensions imposed on both Wayne English and Robert Russell by the RFL Disciplinary Committee this week following the fiery encounter at London Skolars.

Hunslet have concerns over standoff Steve Doherty (ankle), while prop Andy Brent and Ritchie Baker could miss their second match with a stomach bug.

However, hooker Jon Liddell is set to return from injury, while coach Roy Sampson is ready to sign former Bramley forward Glen Freeman, whose two brothers Wayne and Lee are already with the club.

WORKINGTON TOWN v YORK CITY KNIGHTS

NEW coach Billy McGinty could add two amateur halfbacks to his squad in time to play against York. The two new signings are from the Wigan area and football director David Smith believes they will fit into the scheme of things at Workington.

"They are two very experienced lads who should give us the bite we need round the scrums,'' said Smith, who revealed that ex-Swinton and Wigan forward John-Paul Doherty is now in full training with the club.

With centre Kevin Hetherington and Brett Smith returning from injury, it should bolster McGinty's chances of victory.

But York are back on track following their top win over Hunslet.

Coach Paul Broadbent is, therefore, ready to name an unchanged side. "I don't see the point of change after the win last week,'' confirmed Broadbent.