Carl Forster knows time is short for Whitehaven in the battle to avoid relegation, but the ex-Super League forward believes the great escape is still on.

Forster, one of four senior players asked to prepare the side for Sunday’s big derby clash with Workington Town, wants to put smiles back on Haven faces.

“I suppose it is long odds against us staying-up but it is still doable. We have to concentrate on five games we are capable of winning after getting the two toughest matches out of the way.

“It might sound odd but I want to see us play without any pressure and start enjoying our rugby, perhaps play with a little bit more freedom. It’s important to put smiles back on faces.

“We showed what we were capable of in the first-half at Sheffield and to be honest I still don’t know what went wrong in the second-half,” said Forster.

Forster will be joined by Craig Calvert, Scott McAvoy and Dave Allen in a quartet of senior players who have been happy to take on the extra workload of preparing the squad for Sunday.

Director Mark Stamper said: “It has been encouraging to see how the four of them were all ready and willing to do what they could for the club.

“There is a lot of experience and enthusiasm there for the job and they will see it through to the end of the season.

“As a board we were disappointed that Gary Broadbent decided to leave, but we understand his reasons.

“However, in the four senior players we believe that they are all fully committed to the club and will be doing all they can to see we get the right results over the last five games.”

The first thing that they will have to consider ahead of Sunday’s showdown is the injury list which hardly ever seems to go away completely.