Youngsters set to step up for Telford Tigers

Third-placed Tigers host the Lions today (7pm) before a return Moralee Conference North fixture on Sunday (7.30pm).

With this evening’s visitors bottom of the table without a single point this season, Watkins will take the chance to give some of his senior players a breather.

Teenage defender Henry Adams and forward Callum Griffin will step up from the Tigers2 team tonight, although they will play for the seconds tomorrow.

“We’ve got to turn up and be professional and make sure we concentrate on what we need to do,” said Watkins.

“Hopefully we’ll be able to bring a couple of guys up from the D2 and give them more game time to have a look at them and perhaps rest a couple of guys where needed.

“We’ve a couple who are carrying niggling injuries, so if we can pull them back and slow them down a little bit then it will be a good thing.

“Hopefully we’ll have Warren Tait in the line-up after his recent injury and it’s another chance to get him up to speed.

“There will be no complacency. We still try to push the same habits as when we play the top-end teams.”

The double-header with the struggling Lions follows last weekend’s games against Billingham and Blackburn, which Tigers won 10-1 and 12-1 respectively.

“From a coaching point of view, I’d rather we played more competitive fixtures,” admitted Watkins, whose side could go top if they win and other results go their way.

“I think the next three of four weekends after this we’ve got some big games against Solway and Sheffield, and a double header against Solihull. It would be great to move on up the league but we’re not really looking at that at this time.”

Tigers hope to find out more in the next week about the hip injury suffered by netminder Denis Bell.