COACHES throughout the area have been checking up on their walking wounded ahead of this weekend’s amateur rugby league programme with conditions causing a string of injuries at several clubs.

Already a victim of the rock hard grounds is the planned National Conference League Division Two fixture at Fallowfield Park, where West Bowling were due to be Askam’s visitors.

Ulverston, whose game last week with Wigan St Judes was called off because of the hard ground at Dragley Beck, are due to meet the same opposition this weekend – only this time at the Wigan club’s ground.

Walney Central are on the road again to face Heysham Atoms in the North West Men's League Cup, but the game has been switched to Kirkby Lonsdale Rugby Union Club.

Millom and Barrow Island are both at home; Millom facing Gateshead Storm, while Island aim to get back on the winning trail against high-flyers Clock Face Miners.

MILLOM v GATESHEAD STORM

(Devonshire Road, 2.30pm)

MILLOM player/coach Tom Sibley is delighted with his side’s current form and is hoping to step up their promotion bid against Gateshead Storm.

Promising young forward Charlie Emslie is away on under-23 international duty with Scotland in Wales and Sibley is likely to miss the clash with the leg injury that forced him to miss most of the win at Rating Lane. Also out is Connor Mitchell, but Connor Sykes and Luke Brady will return.

A win would keep Millom in the top three and with a big chance to return to National Conference League Division Two.

BARROW ISLAND v CLOCK FACE MINERS

(Rating Lane, 2.30pm)

ISLAND are still in the National Conference Division Three promotion race – just – but things do not get any easier for them tomorrow, with a visit from second-in-the-table Clock Face Miners.

However, they will be encouraged by the fact that they are going for the double over the high-flying St Helens side, having won the away fixture 30-24 back in May thanks to tries from Jake Carter, Sam Jones (2), Jonathan Walsh (2) and Josh Banham.

Since then, the Miners have been hot on the heels of leaders Beverley, and last weekend they became only the second side to take a point from the East Riding outfit, drawing 26-26.

HEYSHAM ATOMS v WALNEY CENTRAL

WALNEY’S joint-coach Dave Bell will be studying his casualty list ahead of tonight’s A-team fixture and tomorrow’s trip to Kirkby Lonsdale for their North West Men’s League Cup tie against the Atoms.

“We took a few knocks last week so we will have to take a head count to see who is available,” he said. “Heysham are in a division above us, so it should be a good test.”

Cents will be eager to make up for last weekend’s double lapse, when their title hopes took a hefty knock as they lost the four-pointer at Haresfinch.

WIGAN ST JUDES A v ULVERSTON

ULVERSTON make the trip to Wigan to take on St Judes just a week after the home fixture against the same side was called off because of the ground conditions.

The game will see a welcome return for Marc Storey, who has served his three-match ban, but Matty Kaye and Dan Akrigg are unavailable.

A win would keep Phil Atkinson’s side well in the hunt for the Division Two title.