SECOND-ROW star Scott Fletcher is raring to return to action - but reckons it will be hard to get back into the York City Knights line-up.

The former BARLA Great Britain captain is available tomorrow for the first time since picking up a knee injury during a man-of-the-match display in the triumph at Barrow a month ago, a victory which started the Knights' four-match winning streak.

He was also allowed to miss last week's win at Workington as he was best man at a wedding.

However, whether he will walk straight back into the squad to face play-off rivals Chorley Lynx (KO 3pm) remains to be seen. "Hopefully I will be selected but I don't know," said the 28-year-old.

"It's a bit of a challenge to fight for a place now that the team is playing so well. But that's how it should be. We want to make it hard for the coach to pick the team."

As for Chorley, he said: "They're a tough nut to crack on their home patch. They've only lost one in the last five games and they had some good results in the Arriva Trains Cup.

"But they'll be more worried about us than we are about them."

As reported by the Evening Press this week, the Knights will be without full-back Chris Smith, the club's top try-scorer, so Broadbent is forced to make at least one change.

Alex Godfrey is set to switch from the wing to full-back, while Rob Kama, who is back in the squad following his exploits with York RU at the York 9s, will compete with Gavin Molloy for the place on the flank.

Chorley have been dealt a blow as prop Dave Whittle dislocated his knee cap in the game at Barrow and will miss the rest of the season.

"It's a bitter blow for Dave and the club. His cruciate and medial ligaments were also damaged in the incident," said coach Darren Abram, who also has concerns over Dave Ingram (groin) and experienced front-rower Tim Street (ankle).

Dangermen include loose-forward Ian Hodson and winger Eric Andrews, who, like the Knights' Danny Brough, have been called up to the National League Under-21s squad who face the Super League U21s in a curtain-raiser to the Origin game between Yorkshire and Lancashire at Odsal on Wednesday.

Knights: from Godfrey, Kama, Hallas, Law, Deakin, Rhodes, Brough, Hayes, Jackson, Forsyth, Ramsden, Cain, Krause, Callaghan, Fletcher, Broadbent, Burland, Molloy.

Kick-off: 3pm

Updated: 09:50 Saturday, June 28, 2003