Tyson handed time-out to heal

GEORGE Tyson is out and Nathan Mason doubtful - but Danny Langtree, Adam Neal and Adam Clay are okay to play in Sunday's top v third clash with York City Knights at Whitebank.

Tyson misses out with a knee injury that has been bothering him for the past few games. Said coach Scott Naylor: "He keeps playing on it and then he's back to square one. He played on one leg at Gloucester last week. He can't carry on like this; he needs a rest."

Prop Mason's chances of overcoming a groin injury are said to be touch and go. The final decision will be made by his parent club, Huddersfield, after training today.

Naylor will have several key decisions to make, including the big one at half-back where Lewis Palfrey, Steve Roper and David Hewitt are in competition for two spots. Said Naylor: "I've got a similar situation at hooker, three chasing two places. Throw the likelihood of dual-reg players into the mix and it gives me some tough calls.

“The 17 will form a strong unit. They'll have to because York are playing well and are creeping up the table under the radar.”

After Sunday York will have 10 games left, but only four against promotion hopefuls.

Knights coach James Ford said: “Oldham are a good, well-coached team, and very physical.”

He has called for match officials to crack down on rough-house, ‘spoiling’, underhand and niggling tactics, all designed to slow down momentum, though wasn’t aiming his comments at Oldham in particular.

“There’s a ‘team warning’ rule for a reason and sometimes I’ve been puzzled as to why teams are not on a warning inside 10 minutes,” he said.