A TRIO of players will seemingly be playing for a first-team berth when York City Knights reserves go to Featherstone tonight (7.45pm).

Forwards Jack Stearman, Adam Howard and Davey Burns are in tonight’s squad but have also been added to the provisional party for tomorrow’s Co-operative Championship match at home to Rovers.

One of them is set to replace second-row Duane Straugheir in tomorrow’s 17, Straugheir having broken a foot in training.

Another bench berth is also up for grabs, with James Haynes ruled out. Reserves scrum-half Scott Woods and back-rower Joe Hemmings, who is yet to make his first-team debut, are also in the running for that spot having likewise been named in tomorrow’s provisional 20-man squad.

Knights reserves tonight: Dent, Winstanley, Waterman, Hyde, Mole, Chilton, Gray, Howard, Brining, Stearman, Burns, Rice, G Smith, Mortimer, Wilson, Barber, Clapham, Allott.

Knights tomorrow: Bush, Sutton, Ford, Esders, Tuffour, Thackeray, Presley, Freer, Lee, Benson, Garside, Clarke, Jones, Waller, Lewis, Stearman, Howard, Burns, Woods, Hemmings.