MARK Cain is again expected to settle for a cameo role when he returns to York to face his former team-mates tomorrow.

Dewsbury Rams' newest acquisition has made two appearances from the substitutes bench since joining the league leaders from York Wasps a fortnight ago.

Coach Neil Kelly plans to give Cain a start before the end of the season but believes he is not quite ready to replace regular stand-off Richard Agar.

"Mark has done well but it's a bit different for him here. With no disrespect to York, he is coming into a stronger side than the one he left so he has got to establish himself.

"But I can see a situation where he gets a starting role before the end of the season. I haven't acquired him not to play," said Kelly, who will choose from a full-strength squad at Huntington Stadium.

In what will be an old friends reunion, three other players with York connections will also figure in the Dewsbury 17.

Ex-Wasps pair Damian Ball and Alex Godfrey are both in good form while former Heworth centre Dan Potter, who still lives in York, will return after missing last week's 42-20 victory over Barrow.

Their inclusions should add extra spice to York's penultimate home game of the season, according to Wasps coach Garry Atkins.

"It will be a very good game. They'll maybe want to prove a bit with them being York lads and our lads will want to prove a bit against them," said Atkins, who is hopeful his players will respond to the challenge of facing the league leaders.

"These are the games that players want to play in. If they don't then they shouldn't be playing.

"Personally I always thrived in the big games because that's where you want to perform.

"It's these games where you can make a stand. You want to show you can perform against the best sides in the league and say 'does anybody want me?' But if they throw the towel in and get spanked again like they did last week then nobody will want them."

The Wasps preparations have been hampered by yet more injuries.

Back row forwards Paul Darley and Chris Judge have both been ruled out, probably for the rest of the season.

Darley has suffered a recurrence of an old shoulder injury while Judge broke his thumb in the defeat by Featherstone last week.

That could mean Kiwi Michael Smith moving up to the starting line-up and Lea Tichener, who has recovered from a broken bone in his shoulder, earning a place on the bench.

Simon Irving, back after a week's absence with a thigh strain, looks set to become the eighth York player to wear the number one shirt this season.

Of the remaining fit players, Atkins believes Irving's experience and professionalism make him the best option for the problematic full-back role.

Matthew Mulholland had a difficult debut at full-back last week but is expected to remain in the side, albeit on the bench.

Atkins is hoping to give the amateur utility back a few runs on the wing to give him the chance to adjust to the Northern Ford Premiership.

York (from): Irving, Woodcock, Hargrave, Lambert, Lloyd, Callaghan, Hammerton, Hayes, Pallister, S Hill, A Hill, Smith, Ramsden, Precious, Tichener, Forsyth, Mulholland.

Dewsbury (from): Graham, Baker, Wood, O'Meara, Potter, Godfrey, Agar, Eaton, Williams, Mycoe, Haigh, Richardson, Frame, Ball, Cain, Spink, McDonald, Hicks, Long.

Referee: Colin Morris (Halifax)

Kick-off: 3pm

dianne.hillaby@ycp.co.uk