JACK STEARMAN is confident his New Earswick All Blacks ARLC side can bounce back from their first defeat in six outings when they host King Cross Park in the Pennine League championship on Saturday (2pm).

All Blacks crashed 50-0 at premier division strugglers Wibsey in the President’s Cup last week, but before then had won five on the bounce in the league.

They have injury doubts this weekend over Jack Sinclair and Ash Martin, but playmaker Liam Gargan is expected to be fit after taking a knock and player-coach Stearman, second-row Jamie Norris, winger Will Leatt, hooker Jack Carling and prop Dan Atkinson are all back in contention after unavailbility.

Said Stearman: “We didn’t perform to the standard we know we can last week. But this is a good opportunity to put wrongs right and push for our sixth league victory on the trot.”

Relegation-threatened Selby Warriors, whose game was rained off last week, go to Allerton Bywater in division one, while their ‘A’ team host Greetland ‘A’ in division seven.