YORK City Knights' latest injury crisis is on the wane, just in time for Sunday's crucial trip to title rivals Hunslet Hawks.

No fewer than ten players reported injuries earlier in the week leaving fans fearing the Knights would struggle to field a full 17 for the LHF Healthplan National League Two visit to South Leeds Stadium.

But of those, only three players are now definitely out - namely long-term absentees Chris Smith and Jim Elston, and Dan Briggs, whose hamstring is still playing up - while physio Paul O'Connor's overtime has elsewhere paid off.

Nevertheless, coach Richard Agar will leave it late to name his side, with three players still nursing knocks and being given until the last minute to declare their fitness. This trio have not been named, with the Knights not wanting to give their rivals any tips.

"We will be leaving it late before naming our line-up," Agar confirmed to the Evening Press.

"We're training tonight and, although we will name the bones of a line-up, we will give one or two until match-day because of the short-term nature of their injuries.

"We will keep our line-up close to our chests and pick what we think will be the right team for this game. But if we don't think a player is fit he won't play."

The Knights go into the game eager to halt a run of two defeats, last week's league loss seeing them lose top spot in the promotion race, while Hunslet themselves need victory to boost their own title aspirations.

Agar added: "It's not going to be a problem getting a team out.

"It (the injury list) disrupts training sessions early in the week as regards numbers and it is not ideal but it's part and parcel of the game and something we're learning to cope with.

"We've had a pretty torrid run for most part of the season and if it changes we will see it as a bonus. It certainly does not get us down."

Updated: 10:50 Friday, July 09, 2004