YORK City Knights have been hit by a new injury dilemma with the news Alex Godfrey's operation has been put on hold - which could rule him out for ten more weeks.

The 24-year-old winger was expected to undergo a hernia operation this week but the specialist has advised he wait another four weeks to give the injury more time to heal itself.

If there is no improvement within that time, then the former Hull KR ace is likely to then go under the knife. The estimated recovery time would be a further six weeks.

Godfrey has therefore been left frustrated. He said: "I can understand that the specialist wants to give it as much time as possible but it's hard when I want to be playing.

"I'm gutted really. There are only 16 games left and if I have to wait four weeks then have the operation and then need time to recuperate, I'll end up playing less than ten.

"There is fluid there that he wants to operate on but he said he's seen it before and in some cases it's gone on its own, and hopefully now it will. If there's no change in four weeks he will operate then."

Godfrey added: "I actually feel better now than in previous weeks when I've played but the specialist says it won't get better if I play now, saying it will be a case of playing perhaps one week then missing three or four till the end of the year.

"He says if I give it a good rest there's a chance it would sort itself out, but then again I've had this injury since January and I've rested it for some time and it's still not sorted itself out.

"It's fair enough as he does not want to be seen as a butcher and he wants to give it more time and consideration, which I can't complain about.

"All I can do about it is whinge and hope it's all for the best."

Team-mates Mark Cain and Darren Callaghan, who have both been out with knee injuries, were seeing the physio this week in the hope they may return for Sunday's National League Division Two match against London Skolars at Huntington Stadium (3pm kick-off).

Updated: 11:42 Thursday, May 01, 2003