Last updated at 12:00, Saturday, 22 September 2012

Young Super League prospect Dave Petersen will return for Workington Town’s bid to reach the Championship One Grand Final.

Dave Petersen

The lively back-rower, who has spent much of the season at Derwent Park on dual registration from Hull KR, missed Town’s play-off win against Whitehaven last week as he was on a pre-booked break in Magaluf with Rovers pals.

But he is back for the semi-final clash at Doncaster, when a win is vital to keep Town’s season alive. And coach Gary Charlton has no doubt he will be firing on all cylinders against Tony Miller’s side tomorrow (3pm).

“I’m sure Dave had a good time over there, but he will be ready for Sunday,” Charlton said. “He’s a professional and conducts himself well. We haven’t yet decided where we’ll play him, it’s just good to have him back.”

With a rising injury toll, Town will look closely how to marshal their resources at the Keepmoat.

Charlton added: “We’ll still have a lot of good players on the park, and if we tackle with the same intensity we showed against Whitehaven, it will take us a long way to achieving our goal.”

Town hammered Doncaster at Derwent Park in May but were beaten 22-6 in the return in July in a televised midweek game.

Dons’ playmaker Paul Cooke scored 14 of his side’s points at the Keepmoat from a try and five goals, and Charlton predicts a stronger performance from Workington this weekend.

He said: “I’m not making excuses, but it was a long journey on a Thursday night, and fellas had been working in the morning. I think we know why we under-performed. We looked a bit tired and shell-shocked.

“There was nothing wrong with our attitude, but we will be better prepared tomorrow.”

Cooke picked up a serious knock in their play-off defeat to Barrow last week and will miss the semi-final.

“He’s a big part of what they do and Tony has to try to soften the blow by putting players in positions where they can do a job,” the Town coach added.

“But to take someone out who plays such a big part and for someone else to come in there with a week’s notice will be hard work.

“It is good for us that Paul Cooke is not playing, but we won’t have Peter Lupton, Graeme Mattinson or Elliott Miller out there, either.”

First published at 10:50, Saturday, 22 September 2012
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk