Three Widnes players may play for Workington Town at Swinton

Last updated at 11:37, Friday, 01 February 2013

Three Widnes Vikings could play for Workington Town for their Championship opener at Swinton Lions on Sunday (ko 3pm).

Gary Charlton

Declan Hulme, Ben Davies and Ben Kavanagh were last night made available by Vikings’ head coach Denis Betts under the dual-registration deal between the two clubs.

Kavanagh, 25, a second-rower, ruptured an Achilles tendon in the third match of the 2012 season before making a successful return to action for the last three Super League games of the season, against Hull, Wakefield and Warrington.

Centre/utility back Hulme, 20, is a former England Under-18 and tasted first team action in the friendly against Warrington in 2011.

Prop Davies, 23, made five appearances for Wigan in the top flight in 2010, before loan spells at Castleford and Barrow Raiders, before returning to Widnes where he made 10 appearances in Super League last season, scoring three tries.

“Widnes have been good enough to help us out and we have got three good players available for Sunday,” said joint Town coach Gary Charlton. “But it’s an agreement that has got to benefit Workington, the team and the players, not Widnes.

“We will take everything into account before deciding on which players we will take, and that includes the opposition, Town players with knocks, and those needing a rest. But we will be giving all out lads a fair chance and, I repeat, any players coming to play for us have got to suit Town.”

Peter Lupton will be looking to put his injury nightmare of last season well and truly behind him when he starts at stand-off for Town against Swinton.

Lupton damaged his wrist in a car crash and missed the opening Championship One games last term. He then picked up a knee injury at Oldham, a problem that saw him miss the back end of the 2012 season.

“Peter’s trained hard and has any amount of ability,” said Charlton.

“If we can keep him fit, I’m expecting a very big year out of Peter Lupton.”

First published at 11:34, Friday, 01 February 2013
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk