Stokes will be without a string of key players for the rest of the season

Whitehaven coach Ged Stokes is facing a squad crisis with seven first-team players poised to miss Sunday's home game against Featherstone Rovers.

Rob Jackson, Chris Smith, Carl Sice, Jay Rossi, Craig Calvert, Carl Rudd and Marc Jackson are set to miss out. Jay Rossi is on a pre-arranged holiday.

Stokes told the Whitehaven News: "I will be looking to Dylan [Skee] and Tyrone [Dalton] to fill in.

"Their combination has been pretty good in the reserve grade."

Jackson is expected to miss the rest of the season along with Rudd, while Smith, Calvert, Sice and Marc Jackson could also see their campaigns brought to an abrupt end.

Struggling Haven have lost their last 11 games, and are now four points adrift of safety.

We've got a group of players that are very committed to the club, we're a nice, tight group Haven coach Ged Stokes

And with table-topping Featherstone arriving in west Cumbria, Stokes knows the size of the task ahead of his players.

"Featherstone are a very fine outfit. They're well coached and they've got some very experienced and high quality players," Stokes said.

With just four games to play, the Marras look likely to drop out of the division while battling financial issues off the field.

And Stokes has paid tribute to the players for maintaining their professionalism and dignity at a difficult time.

"Every game is now a big game for us," the Kiwi added.

"It's been an exceptionally hard year for many reasons.

"We'll go out there and give it our best shot, there's no doubt about that.

"We've got a group of players that are very committed to the club.

"We're still a nice tight group. The players want to get out there and do their best for the club."

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