Championship One Preview: Oxford v Gateshead Thunder

Oxford coach Tony Benson expects Sean Morris and Andrew Hoggins to both be available for Sunday’s Kingstone Press Championship One fixture against Gateshead Thunder.

The pair were late withdrawals for last week’s game against Hunslet, but are both now fit and available.

However, Valu Bentley is a major doubt after suffering another injury blow.

Seventh-placed Oxford are just two points adrift of the top five. Benson said: “We’re certainly aiming for the play-offs and I think we’re capable of doing it.

“We’ve blooded another load of players this year, and they’re all going pretty well and being pretty consistent.”

On Gateshead, he added: “They’re certainly quite a different team to earlier in the year, but the big thing with Gateshead is that you never know who you’re going to play.

“We’re just focusing on being as good as we can be, and hopefully that will be good enough to get the job done.”

Loan signing Joel Farrell could come into contention for Thunder after joining on a one-month deal from Dewsbury Rams.