Fax hope to continue table climb

In form Halifax hope to continue their recent climb up the Co-operative Championship table when they host Batley Bulldogs on Sunday.

Matt Calland’s men have won their last four competitive fixtures, coinciding with the recent arrival of Brian Noble at The Shay.

Victory on Sunday would help to maintain their play-off hopes, but second-placed Batley will be no pushovers.

Calland warned: “Everyone wrote us off earlier in the season, but we have come from nowhere in the last six weeks.”

Batley coach Karl Harrison could include recent injury absentee Wayne Reittie, with Daley Williams not far behind in the race to return to first team action.

Reittie is hoping to overcome a back injury that kept him out of the recent win over Hunslet, while Williams is on the verge of recovering from a shoulder problem.

Harrison said: “Daley is a chance for our game against York, which would be a massive boost for us.”

Like Halifax, Batley have also won their last four games. Their most recent defeat was 28-18 loss against Huddersfield in the Carnegie Challenge Cup.