IN-FORM hooker Andy Ellis' absence for Sunday's visit of old foes Keighley Cougars has left York City Knights boss James Ford with a dilemma - but with a plan to counter it.

Ellis is unavailable due to commitments outside of rugby and, coupled with Harry Carter's season-long injury, it has left Ford with just one recognised hooker in Will Jubb.

The Knights boss has named a 19-man squad - including notable new faces on dual-reg from Hull KR - but is keeping his line-up, plus his plan for dummy-half, close to his chest.

"We're still mulling a couple of things over in terms of what we feel our best 17 is for this particular game," said Ford, whose side also face fellow promotion hopefuls Doncaster five days later and then Newcastle Thunder.

"We've got a really good squad and we will need that squad over the next three games.

"Andy has commitments we were aware of. It is a blow but Will Jubb is a good player who can play big minutes and understands how we want to play.

"We have other options around there (dummy-half) if and when we choose to use them, which could be a surprise for Keighley."

Coming in on dual-reg are centre/second-row Liam Salter, who has played over 100 times for the Robins including in the 2015 Challenge Cup final, and former Huddersfield prop Josh Johnson, whose debut season on Humberside last year was cut short by injury after 13 outings, and who is now trying to win his place back in the side.

Matty Marsh is also back, presumably to re-form his blossoming half-back partnership with Connor Robinson, although the inclusion of Liam Jackson in the 19 might suggest Ford could utilise Robinson at hooker.

On-loan prop Colton Roche is also back, while forwards Dan Hawksworth and Rory Dixon drop out, despite helping the Knights to beat Championship club Swinton in the Challenge Cup last week.

Said Ford: "Liam is a tough-tackling, committed performer. He's a big boy for an edge player and someone I've got a lot of confidence in.

"Josh Johnson is an uncompromising prop, similar to Colton Roche in his approach. He's not played for a while but is keen as mustard to get out there and remind them (Hull KR) what a quality player he is."

Ford's men have begun the season in fine fettle whereas Keighley, after opening with victory over Workington, lost in the cup to North Wales and were hammered by Bradford.

But Ford said: "We need to be on the money. Keighley have had a couple of false results and we're expecting them to have a real dig. We're preparing for another game of the Swinton, Oldham and Bradford standard."

Knights: from Moss, Robson, Mazive, Cockayne, Hey, Salter, Marsh, C Robinson, Jackson, Jubb, A Robinson, Johnson, Horne, Siddons, Roche, Normington, Batchelor, Scott, Spears.

Keighley: from Hawkyard, Gabriel, Barnes, Ryder, Dixon, Benn Hardcastle, Aaronson, Law, Wright, Tahraoui, Lynam, Tonks, Emmett, Hallas, Bailey, Fairhurst, Gaylor, Kenga, Whiteley.