By Martin Morgan

Last updated at 09:44, Thursday, 06 May 2010

WHITEHAVEN’S wretched luck with injuries is continuing with back-rower Andy Gorski ruled out for the rest of the season.

Gorksi missed the launch of this season due to a double hernia problem and managed just four games before ripping his pectoral muscle against his former club Halifax two weeks ago.

“He needs an operation and is out for the year,” said disappointed coach Ged Stokes. “It’s not that common an injury but it’s unfortunate.

“Andy was starting to get back to fitness after missing a lot of our pre-season.

“It’s a shame because he’s a fine player and will be a miss.”

Gorski, who missed just two games last term and scored seven tries, looked set to leave the Recre this year after moving to Blackpool and starting a new job which made it difficult for him to train regularly with the Haven squad.

But he declined the chance to look for a new club and a change in shift patterns saw him return to training in February.

Haven are still tracking a prop with Super League experience but progress is slow. Front-rowers David Ford, out for nine games due to illness, and Richard Farrer, sidelined for the last four with a leg injury, are closing in on comebacks but neither looks set for an imminent return.

“There’s no definitive answer on David Ford,” Stokes added. “That has to come from the specialist, but he’s a lot better than a few weeks ago.

“Richard Farrer had a lot of blood trapped inside his muscle and it has taken a long time to dissipate. He’s training in the gym but couldn’t yet take any impact on it.”

Haven went down 64-24 at Sheffield on Monday after leading early in the second-half.

“The score blew out but rugby league is like that at the moment,” Stokes said. “It’s not uncommon for Super League clubs to beat each other by 50 points, as we saw at the weekend.

“If starved of the ball, you’ll get points scored against you. We lost the ball 10 minutes in to the second-half and didn’t get it back for the rest of the match.”

Haven hooker Carl Sice laid down a marker for a first-team recall after claiming a hat-trick in the reserve-grade’s 42-24 win over visitors Sheffield Eagles.

Sice, who has scored four tries in nine first-team appearances this term, was in fine form as the hosts built a 30-4 interval lead at the Recreation Ground.

Prop Marc Shackley, who was also looking to establish a Championship berth before aggravating a shoulder problem in last month’s win at Dewsbury, added two touch downs with Stephen Dawes, Bradd Crellin and Kiwi trialist Kurt Wilton also crossing. Scott George landed five goals.

The reserves had been due to visit Keighley on Saturday but Cougar Park is unavailable and the match will now be played on Sunday (12.30pm) at the Recre as a curtain-raiser to the Championship clash between the clubs (3pm).

Haven’s Scholarship Under-16s produced a terrific effort at Wigan, going down 28-24. The Under-15s lost 50-4.

This week’s Pride of Five £100 winners are: F Telfer, Shipwrights Arms, Whitehaven, 1,816; P Kelly, The Grange, Whitehaven, 814; A Blackhall, High Road, Kells, 860; S Lumley, Juniper Grove, Whitehaven, 1,925; E Loons, Swallow Hill, Distington, 693.

First published at 15:49, Wednesday, 05 May 2010
Published by http://www.whitehavennews.co.uk