KEY absentees will hit Malton & Norton RUFC as they bid to reach the last four of the Yorkshire Shield - but club chiefs are still confident they can land a psychological blow on Bradford & Bingley.

Yorkshire One's top two sides go head-to-head at The Gannock but the home team have been struck hard by injury and unavailability.

Two front rows, Ben Boothman and James Thornton, are missing from the pack while Ian Cooke is still out and Jack Cranage broke a hand in the club's 33-13 victory over Bradford Salem last time out. Ben Woodhouse is also expected to be out with a dead leg.

Malton, who booked a quarter-final berth with a 10-3 win over Heath, will play as strong a squad as possible and club spokesman Bill Laidler said quality players will be coming in to shore up the gaps left by those who are missing.

"They are key players but, on the other hand, it gives one or two others a chance to come in," he said. "We have got nothing to lose and the most important thing about the Shield is that you can get into the national competitions.

"We will see what happens. We've got some good lads coming in like Ed Gwillam in the front row. Jamie Rounthwaite moves into the second row from the back row and Sam Harrison comes in there. They are all good enough players who are worthy of a place."

Asked about the strengths of Bradford & Bingley, who beat Malton 22-10 in Ryedale in December and have lost only once in the league all season, Laidler added: "They have got some very good backs and we will have our work cut out to keep them under control.

"We did that for most of the game in the last match and it was one of those games in the wet just before Christmas."

Pocklington are without a game this weekend.