HALF-BACK Carl Hughes is to make a surprise reappearance for York City Knights tomorrow as the injury situation at Huntington Stadium forces coach Richard Agar to again shuffle his cards.

The Knights visit Batley Bulldogs (ko 3pm) in what could prove to be a crucial Arriva Trains Cup group game with both teams looking to progress to the knockout stages.

But Mark Cain has become the latest to be ruled out - he injured a shoulder when setting up the winning try in the Challenge Cup thriller at Featherstone last week - while captain Lee Jackson and prop Yusuf Sozi will also be rested as Agar bears in mind the fact the Knights will face five games in 16 days starting with the Cup quarter-final at Huddersfield a week tomorrow.

Hughes has therefore been called on to increase Agar's options, while Andy Burland, who signed back at Huntington Stadium 48 hours ago, will also come in along with fellow prop Ryan Benjefield and second-row Tom Andrews, who were cup-tied last week.

Back-rower Danny Seal is also available again following his shock return from work commitments last week, while Scott Walker comes onto the wing for Mark Stewart, who drops to the bench. Centre Aaron Wood, who is likely to face a Rugby Football League disciplinary hearing on Tuesday following his sending-off at Fev, will also play.

The 21-year-old Hughes, who scored four tries in seven Knights appearances at the end of last season, has been selected for the Great Britain Amateur Lions to tour Russia and Australia this summer and had put off signing a professional deal in order to represent his country.

However, the Stanley Rangers ARLC star has signed on amateur forms, and his seasonal debut tomorrow will not effect his call-up to the British Amateur Rugby League Association Lions squad.

"The injury situation is probably as bad as it's been for two or three weeks, although the good wins have perhaps disguised it," Agar told the Evening Press. "We're struggling with numbers again so we've called Carl up and he's happy to play."

Batley are the only team to have beaten York this season - 24-22 on the opening day of the season - but Agar said revenge was not a goal.

"As in every game we would like to beat them but with the situation as it is we're happy to get 17 players out," he said. "Never-theless, we still think we've got a competitive side out.

"This game and Feather-stone away are perhaps the two toughest fixtures we've got all season, barring the Challenge Cup draw.

"I'm not so bothered about the result as long as we perform well and everybody gives it their best shot.

"We're looking to progress in the competition but we've got three games in seven days coming up and then two games the following weekend (at Easter), and it's important we're ready for our number one priority which is the league."

The return of Dean Lawford has boosted Batley prior to tomorrow's clash at Mount Pleasant.

The half-back's decision to rejoin the Bulldogs from Super League side Widnes comes in the wake of Batley's heavy Challenge Cup defeat.

"We didn't turn up against Whitehaven. I don't know whether it was stage-fright or what, but we surely can't play as badly again," said coach Gary Thornton, who could switch Mark Toohey to the back row to accommodate Lawford. "I may also switch one or two of the forwards around to shake up the pack," he added.

Meanwhile, Batley's Sean Richardson has been referred to next Tuesday's meeting of the RFL's disciplinary committee to face a charge of "behaving in a way contrary to the true spirit of the game". He is alleged to have used a knee in a tackle against Whitehaven.

Several Knights players were in York City centre today collecting money for Macmillan Cancer Relief. Knights chairman Roger Dixon is also the chairman of the York branch of the charity.

Updated: 08:59 Saturday, March 20, 2004