Whitehaven try-scoring ace Elliott Miller has been banned for three games by the Rugby League Disciplinary Panel.

The former Workington Town winger will miss the Ike Southard Memorial Trophy game against his old club on Sunday.

The suspension follows contact he made with the referee early in the opening friendly at Keighley.

Whitehaven’s general manager Amanda Hewer said: “Elliott was tracking back in the eighth minute at Keighley when he accidentally collided with the referee. Both of them ended up on the ground.

“Elliott apologised to the official and we thought that would be the end of it but he was summoned to appear before a disciplinary panel.

“He wasn’t able to attend but the club was represented by coach Carl Forster.

“The Panel gave the minimum punishment for the offence of three games and we are awaiting confirmation of just which games he will miss.”

Players suspended at the end of last season have had one game wiped-off for every two friendly games they miss in the build-up to the 2017 season.

“As we only have one friendly left against Town, we are hoping that will count as one game, meaning he will miss the League One Cup game against Workington and the following week’s Challenge Cup tie,” she added.

Meanwhile, Whitehaven director James Robinson has seen it all before – and he isn’t flustered over the team’s pre-season form.

Robinson, a long-serving Workington Town forward before switching to the Recreation Ground, is looking forward to an improvement for Sunday’s derby clash.

He said: “Friendly matches are there for a reason and, while results have been disappointing, there’s no reason to panic.

“The friendlies are to help new players gel and structures to be ironed-out.

"Now we’ve had a number of new faces while some players have been missing and it was always going to take time.

“In all three games, we appear to have started slowly and done better in the second half.

"I didn’t see the Newastle game but I’m told that was similar to what happened at Keighley and Barrow.

“We actually won the second half 10-6 at Barrow and looked a different team.

"Clearly, there are things to iron out but I am confident we will be fine for when the competitive stuff starts.”