ACE full-back Lee Mapals has hit back at the decision by York City Knights chiefs to axe him - and he is aiming to prove them wrong.

The 22-year-old top try-scorer was left out of the team to play London Skolars on Sunday, instead being dropped to the under-21s team which drew with Batley 24 hours earlier.

As luck would have it, he suffered a back injury when scoring a try in that game - giving him further reasons to be an unhappy spectator at Huntington Stadium as the first team disappointed in a 20-20 draw with the National League Two basement side.

"He said it was my attitude because I missed training," said Mapals, who was angry with the way he was dropped and the reasons for it given by player-coach Paul March. "But that was down to my moving to Leeds and starting a new job which made it hard for me to get to training.

"I can understand it a little bit, but he could have taken a little bit of consideration about how hard it was to get to training.

"I haven't got a car at the moment and with my job it's hard to finish at 4.30pm, get home and changed and get over to training.

"He's maybe trying to give me a kick up the backside and spur me on to start playing that bit better. We'll have to wait and see what happens.

"He said he's more than happy for me to be back in the squad this week. I've left it at that. I don't want to get wound up over it."

Whether Mapals can play in this Sunday's match away to Rochdale is another matter.

An opponent landed knees in his back as he dived over the try-line during Saturday's reserve grade academy match, causing bruised ribs and a pulled muscle.

But the full-back, who equalled a Knights club record of five tries in a match earlier this month, said: "Hopefully all being well I'll be okay. It's come on a bit since Sunday and hopefully I will be back in the squad."

Mapals reckoned getting to training would not become an ongoing issue. He added: "It should be okay from now on once I get transport sorted."

March hoped Mapals could now put the matter behind him, kick on and become an even better player.

"He's done his time," he said. "He's been at training this week and you can see little glimpses of his attitude changing.

"We haven't had any problems with how he's been playing, though there are bits where he can improve and make himself an even better player. Now that he is improving off the field he can be ready for selection and, if fit, he will go back in the squad."