LEE Crooks insists that he has nothing to prove tomorrow when he comes face to face with Keighley Cougars for the first time since he left them 18 months ago.

The York Wasps boss was sacked as Keighley coach after just over a year in charge at Cougar Park.

However, he has no hard feelings towards his former club and is more concerned with getting two points than getting one over on his old employers.

And with the financial crisis at Huntington Stadium returning to the fore - as revealed by the Evening Press yesterday - the Wasps boss is more worried about concentrating his players' minds on the match than the notion of settling old scores.

"What happened at Keighley is in the past," said Crooks on the eve of tomorrow's game at Huntington Stadium.

"I was grateful to them for giving me the opportunity to coach, but unfortunately it didn't happen.

"I left the club knowing full well I'd done a good job there. The only thing that ran out at Keighley was patience. It's nice to see some of the players we brought in are still there and doing well.

"I don't think I have anything to prove. It's just another game to me."

Crooks was succeeded in the Keighley hot-seat by his then assistant coach Frank Punchard, who is now his assistant at York.

The pair's influence has already begun to show on the pitch. Despite losing their two opening games, the Wasps have produced two impressive performances.

The Cougars have begun the season in stunning form, demolishing Hunslet and reigning champions Dewsbury in their opening two games. However, Crooks is unfazed at the prospect of meeting Steve Deakin's in-form side.

"It's a game I think we're capable of winning. I think we showed enough in the last two games that there's no reason why we can't go out and win the game," he said.

A factor which could prove crucial, though, is the Wasps injury list. Only 15 players trained on Tuesday

"I'm probably missing four players out of my strongest squad," said Crooks.

Back row forward Spencer Hargrave is definitely ruled out tomorrow with a broken thumb which is likely to sideline him for around six weeks.

Craig Moore (thumb) and Andy Precious (broken ankle) had already been ruled out while there are also doubts over Darren Hughes (dead leg) and Craig Forsyth (groin strain).

Gareth Stephens, who was expected to make his first appearance of the season tomorrow, could again be missing because of the hamstring strain which he sustained in the first match of the pre-season campaign.

Crooks revealed that Forsyth pulled his groin in training last week but managed to play a half in the narrow defeat by Hull KR.

Wasps could be boosted by the return of back row forward Mick Ramsden.

Like Stephens, Ramsden has missed the start of the season because of a pulled hamstring, but he comes back into contention as a direct replacement for Hargrave.

Keighley coach Deakin, who has a full complement of players from which to choose, has named the same 17 which so convincingly defeated Dewsbury 32-6 last week, and he has added Craig Brown to the party.

The fact he has left out fit-again Alan Boothroyd, last year's captain, and experienced centre Matt Foster underlines the strength of his squad.

But he is not taking the trip to York lightly, saying: "We must respect the Wasps for their determination in defence.

"They must have had good organisation to stop Hull KR scoring a try and we must treat them with the same respect and have the same focus that we showed against Dewsbury."