Bulldogs' half-back crisis
By Trevor Watson BATLEY Bulldogs have run into a half-back crisis as they face title-chasing Barrow in the Co-operative Championship at Mount Pleasant on Sunday (3pm).
The problem was exacerbated when scrum-half Gareth Moore went off after damaging a shoulder against Sheffield last Sunday. He was injured midway through the first half and continued to the break but had to be taken off.
Moore, whose arm is in a sling, has twice paid visits to hospital and been told there is no break but there is ligament damage. The estimate of his absence is three to four weeks but the player feels he can be back in time for the Northern Rail Cup final a week on Sunday, July 18 and was having treatment.
He said: "I was in a lot of pain for the first two nights and getting my girlfriend to drive but I'm hoping things will quickly improve.
"It's just a race against time but I am very keen to play at Blackpool, it should be a great occasion and we are good enough to win. I was hurt when I went in to tackle their big centre Menzie Yere. I thought I could continue but things could have got worse."
Paul Handforth missed last Sunday's game with a leg injury, which is still causing problems, and the Bulldogs will want to make sure he is fully fit rather than risk him before the final.
New signing Mick Govin, who made his first start at stand-off last Sunday after four substitute appearances, could have stepped in but he booked a holiday for this weekend while he was with Swinton and will be away.
With loan man Kyle Wood returning to Huddersfield and since then joining Castleford on loan, Batley suddenly find themselves with no half-backs after looking well covered.
Earlier in the season coach Karl Harrison relished being able to switch his half-backs and moving Handforth to hooker for a spell during games, now he is virtually seeking volunteers.
Mark Barlow could play at stand-off but has a knee problem and it seems the choices could be John Gallagher and Mark Toohey.
Tough-tackling second row Jason Walton and in-form centre Danny Maun were also absent last Sunday and again this brings doubts regarding fitness.
Maun could have played at a push last Sunday but was advised by the physio to give his quad muscle injury an extra week's rest.
The worry for Harrison is that he has probably the smallest squad in the Championship and the injuries could not have come at a worse time and he said he was down to just 17 fit players against Sheffield.
The Bulldogs meet a Barrow side brimming with confidence after 10 wins from their last 11 league games as they seek to retain the title.
The visitors will include a former Batley favourite, winger Jermaine McGilvary, who scored 21 tries for the Mount Pleasant side last season while on loan from Huddersfield.
He joined Barrow on loan this time, returned to the Giants for a spell and scored a couple of tries for their senior side before returning to Craven Park, where he is proving just as popular as at The Mount.
After two successive home defeats, Batley would welcome a win before next weekend's cup final but the Championship is very demanding and the side face a big task.
The Bulldogs can take heart from a top performance against Barrow just over 12 months ago when they beat them 46-16 and Ash Lindsay scored one of the tries of the season. A repeat would be very welcome.
n There will be a mini-rugby festival before Sunday's game with teams from local clubs at Under-8 and Under-9 age level taking part. The event starts at 1pm.
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Friday 25 May 2012
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