Leaders Hunslet won’t be taking London Skolars lightly

The game comes in the middle of a run of four tough away fixtures, Hunslet having lost to Whitehaven and beaten Oldham before facing trips to Workington Town and Newcastle Thunder in May.

The result at Whitehaven was Hunslet’s only league defeat so far this season and they bounced back with a remarkable 36-28 win at Oldham on Good Friday when – despite being reduced to 11 men – they hit back from 10 points down with just 12 minutes remaining.

The Parksiders will go into tomorrow’s game in good form and confident mood, but Skolars, now third in the table, are no longer easy-beats and Hunslet coach Gary Thornton insisted his men can’t regard it as respite from the difficult away challenges.

“We are glad to be at home, because it seems like a long time since we last played there, but I don’t think we can afford to take anybody lightly,” Thornton stressed.

“We have got to keep the momentum going.

“London have won some tough games and they are never easy to play against, they are a big side, but if we can win this one it will set a real marker down going into the second half of the season and the games at Workington and Newcastle.

“We don’t want to slip up at home after winning at Doncaster and Oldham so it is massively important.”

Half-back Joe Sanderson has not trained this week due to illness, but Nathan Chappell is available following a ban and Hunslet came through the Oldham game with no major new injuries.

On-loan forward Jon-Luke Kirby was recalled by Huddersfield Giants for their Easter Monday game against London Broncos, but did not play.

That ended the previous loan deal and a new one is now being arranged.

“That will mean we have got him for a minimum of a month, so it is good in that respect,” said Thornton who admitted he is keen to retain the highly-rated youngster. “We have got a couple of blank weekends coming up, but hopefully we will have him for the games at Workington and Newcastle.”