Knights coach loses patience and axes star Mapals

12:37pm Saturday 5th July 2008

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LEE MAPALS’ future at York City Knights is shrouded in doubt after he was dropped because of “attitude problems” for the second time in six weeks.

The 22-year-old winger, the Knights’ top try-scorer this season and last, has been axed from the squad that travels to bitter National League Two rivals Gateshead tomorrow – and he may have played his last game for the club.

His place could be taken by academy full-back Mark Wilson, who has yet to make his first-team debut.

Mapals was previously left out of the game against London Skolars on May 25, after which player-boss Paul March said he had seen improvements in his attitude and the slate was clean. Mapals had said starting a new job in Leeds had made it difficult to attend training.

It was thought the situation had been resolved, but the pair have fallen out again.

The Press understands Mapals has not trained on the last three Tuesdays, and that this Thursday he brought no gear and said he was not fit to train having injured a foot at work, but would be fit to play tomorrow. The physio said he was okay to train.

Asked if Mapals would play again for the club, March said: “The way I’m feeling right now, he won’t.

“On his day he can be a match-winner but he can also be a match-loser. His attitude problems don’t help that.”

The dispute has come at a bad time for the injury-hit club. Mapals would have switched from the wing to full-back in place of the crocked Danny Ratcliffe, but now they will rely on either Wilson or fringe first-team centre Matt Danville to take the number one shirt.

March, however, had no qualms about bringing in either, and said Wilson’s goalkicking would be an added benefit in the absence of injured marksmen Ratcliffe and Ryan Esders.

“He’s impressed me in the reserves,” he said of Wilson, who has already been offered a contract for next season.

“His support play is excellent and his goalkicking is outstanding. It might be added pressure for him but we’ve seen what he can do in reserve grade. It’s a big step up but one I’m sure he can make.”

He added: “Matt Danville has also played full-back before, so we have options. He wants to get back in the team.”

March has played down the notion tomorrow’s encounter is a grudge match.

The Knights have lost all three previous encounters this season, despite leading at half-time in the last two. In total, five players have been sent off – including March – and two more sin-binned in those games.

March said: “There are a few scores to settle – but only about how we played.

“We took them lightly the last time. We’ve lost three games to them now and in all of them we were in a position to win.

“However, we didn’t play for the full 80 minutes, and, as we keep saying, until we do that we’re not going to put anybody to bed.”

The Thunder are NL2’s surprise package, with 12 wins from 14, losing only to leaders Barrow and, last week, third-placed Oldham.

“Dave Woods (Gateshead coach) has done very well with them,” said March. “He’s turned them around from a side near the bottom to a side near the top so credit goes to him and his players.

“They’ve come off the back of a loss, and so have we, and I think it’s going to be fire meeting fire.

“Some refereeing decisions went against us the last time we played. This time we’ve got probably the top referee in the National League at the moment – Gareth Hewer - so it should be a good, clean, open game with the best team winning.”

For Gateshead, hooker Dan Smith (calf) is a doubt. Ryan Clarke would start in his absence, with Michael Watton or Andrew Pybus joining the bench.

Gateshead: from Kain, Peers, Neighbour, McAlpine, Sanderson, Thorman, Russell, Payne, Smith, Cakacaka, Nash, Knowles, Jamieson. Subs: Clarke, Suka, McPhail, Barron, Watton, Pyblus.

Knights: from Wilson, Danville, Spicer, Lewis, Oakes, Grice, P March, Sullivan, Hughes, Bailey, Divorty, Kelly, Buckley, Hodgson, Ekis, Woodcock, Grundy, Greenwood.

Referee: Gareth Hewer (Whitehaven).

Kick off: 3pm.

York’s top try-scorer set for showdown talks

TOP try-scorer Lee Mapals is set for showdown talks with York City Knights management on Tuesday.

The winger’s future is in doubt after he was again dropped for off-field issues having refused to train. However, he remained unrepentant.

Mapals told The Press he was not fit to train. He said he dropped a paving slab on his foot at work on Monday, and was at hospital on the Tuesday. He was put in pot as a precaution and was X-rayed the following day, which showed no break.

He added: “I told Paul on Thursday I didn’t want to risk it ahead of Sunday, but he said to come and get it checked by the physio. The physio told him I was okay, but I didn’t want to risk it when it still hurt, and I hadn’t brought my gear because of it.”

As for his future, he said: “I don’t know. I haven’t seen eye to eye with (coaches) Paul March and James Ratcliffe since I moved back to Leeds. My contract is up at the end of the season. The door is open, but I don’t know what will happen.”