INJURY-HIT York Wasps will have to manage without influential prop forward Rich Hayes for the next month.
Hayes finally succumbed to a persistent hamstring problem at Workington on Sunday which forced him off the field midway through the first half.
And in a further blow for the Wasps, utility back Shaun Austerfield may need an operation to determine the extent of a knee injury which has kept him to out of the last four games.
Caretaker coach Garry Atkins revealed Hayes' hamstring had been troubling him for some time.
"He has been playing with it for a few weeks hoping it would get better but it hasn't and on Sunday it got a lot worse," said Atkins, whose injury problems have been mounting since he took over as coach three games ago.
Austerfield sustained his knee injury at Dewsbury last month and had to be stretchered from the field in what was his first match at full-back.
So far it has not been improving and Atkins said it was now likely that Austerfield would go in for key-hole surgery.
"It's not right. He's going to be seeing a specialist soon because it's not responding to treatment. I think he's got cartilage damage but you never really know until you have a look inside it," said Atkins, adding that it was impossible to predict how much longer Austerfield would be out of action until they identified the problem.
"If it's cartilage damage they may say he can be back in two weeks, but if it's ligaments they might say he'll be out for the rest of the season."
Atkins has received better news on the other casualties from Sunday's match. Chris Judge (ribs), Andy Preston (shoulder), Steve Hill (dead leg) and Matt Woodcock (ankle) are all expected to be fit to face title-chasing Leigh Centurions at Huntington Stadium on Sunday.
The only doubt is Lee McTigue who was helped from the Derwent Park pitch with a twisted ankle.
Paul Darley is on the verge of returning after three weeks out with a hamstring strain and Andrew Lambert should have recovered from his bout of flu while Leroy McKenzie (hamstring) and Lea Tichener (prop) will be assessed this week.
Atkins is considering yet another change at full-back for the match against Leigh, who face Dewsbury Rams in the Trans-Pennine Cup Final tonight.
Mark Cain could become the sixth player to wear the number one shirt this season as Atkins seeks the best possible combination in the back division.
He switched stand-off Cain and full-back Darren Callaghan during the second half at Workington and admitted he is tempted to stick with it on Sunday.
Atkins said: "I didn't move them because Daz was playing badly at full-back, but I thought Daz might give us a bit of direction in attack and I thought it worked well.
"It was no slur on Mark either because he's been playing well. It's all about trying to find the best possible combination that works for us."
Barrow Border Raiders forward William Burns has been banned for two matches for reckless use of the forearm on Wasp' Mark Cain in the game on April 2.
He was also fined £25 when he appeared before the Rugby Football League disciplinary committee last night, but no action was taken against Wasps second rower Lee McTigue and Barrow scrum-half Darren Holt, who were put on report for fighting in the same match.
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