YORK Knights will be without Will Dagger when they host fellow early-season strugglers Halifax Panthers next weekend.

The full-back has been handed a Grade C charge for Foul and Abusive Language to Match Official, resulting in a one-match ban.

Dagger, who made his long-awaited return from a gruesome armpit tear against Whitehaven last weekend, was sin-binned just minutes into the second half for his protestations in the aftermath of Joey Romeo’s try.

He believed that the ball had slipped from the winger’s grasp before he crossed the line to put the Cumbrians 30 points to the good, and was promptly sent to the benches by referee Cameron Worsley.

The ban is Dagger’s second this season after his move from Wakefield Trinity, having missed the opening two rounds of the Betfred Championship season after a headbutt against Sheffield Eagles in the Betfred Challenge Cup.

He has scored five tries in as many appearances for the Knights this season, including a hat-trick against Newcastle Thunder and brace against Oldham in the AB Sundecks 1895 Cup.

With a combination of injury and suspension seeing him miss two months of the season, Myles Harrison and Joe Brown are among those to have been deployed at full-back in his absence.

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Swinton Lions’ Dec Patton has also received a one-match ban for questioning the integrity of the match officials, whilst Featherstone Rovers’ Gareth Gale will serve the same suspension for a Grade C Head Contact charge.

In League One, Cornwall’s Morgan Punchard and Workington Town’s Ciaran Walker have been handed two-match suspensions and a £40 fine for punching.

Midlands Hurricanes’ Blake Broadbent has also been banned for two matches after late contact on a passer, whilst Hunslet’s Isaac Shaw has received a one-match ban for a similar offence.

Rochdale’s Aiden Roden has been fined £40 after a head contact charge.