THIRD-PLACED York Rugby League Club are packing a knockout punch for promotion rivals Batley Bulldogs.

Victory over the Bulldogs at the fourth attempt would effectively consign the West Yorkshire side to another season in the Second Division.

And a further two points, to add to the pair garnered at Bramley, would leave the Wasps ideally placed in the subsequent four-way scramble for a top three slot.

Coach Dean Robinson was hoping to reward last weekend's victorious 17 by naming an unchanged line-up for tomorrow's Huntington Stadium outing (3pm).

However, injury doubts hanging over try-scorer Chris Hopcutt (hamstring) and scrum-half Mick Crane (shoulder) were threatening to force his hand.

Leigh Deakin, who has ended his self-enforced exile, and Paul White face a head-to-head battle for the wing berth should Hopcutt be ruled out, while Andy Preston and fit again David Brook will vie for the number seven shirt.

Loose forward Mick Ramsden, ineligible for the Bramley game, is back in the squad but may have to settle for a place among the substitutes.

Said Robinson: "Because of the way the players have stood by myself and the club, and the way they played on Sunday, it is not my intention to make many changes from the 17.

"There are doubts about Hopcutt and Crane but I have to reward the players who did such a great job against Bramley and don't intend making any changes unless I have to."

The Wasps boss admitted his players would be seeking to take Batley out of the promotion equation.

"That is the way we are looking at it. We need two points to continue our challenge and the added bonus is that we can suffer Batley to another season in the Second Division," he said.

"At this stage, the more sides we can put out of the running the better. Batley can't afford to lose another fixture or their chance will surely be gone. We are in charge of our own destiny, which is a nice position to be in."

Robinson praised the fans for their input to the Bramley triumph and called for a repeat performance.

"It would be great to have the same support as we received at Bramley throughout the rest of the season," he said.

"We know it is make or break. The supporters were great and more of the same will help us achieve our goal."

Former Great Britain international forward Roy Powell misses the game under the RFL's statutory 21 day rest period following his head injury in the Trans-Pennine Cup final.

Coach David Ward, who admits tomorrow's game is win or bust, also has doubts over four influential players, hooker Mark Cass, scrum-half Gary Barnett, centre Roger Simpson and second rower Tony Walton.

"If they beat us they are hot favourites to be third. We have got to win to stand even half a chance. If we lose we are probably out," said Ward.

York: Strange, Sini, Godfrey, Austerfield, Hopcutt, Cain, Crane, Precious, Pallister, S Hill, A Hill, Hargrave, Dobson. Subs: from Preston, Tichener, Lambert, Booth, Ramsden, Brook, Moore, White, Deakin.Batley Bulldogs: to be announced.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.