YORK City Knights hooker Jimmy Elston is to see a specialist after his knee problem worsened.

The in-form 26-year-old copped the injury during the Knights' Northern Rail Cup second round win over Dewsbury a fortnight ago.

It was previously thought he suffered reasonably minor medial ligament damage, which would mean a lay-off of about four weeks, but things deteriorated this week and it is now feared there might be some cartilage damage too.

Boss Mick Cook has endured mixed news on the injury front.

Scott Rhodes is in line for a return from his collarbone injury in Sunday's Northern Rail Cup quarter-final at Workington but fellow key half-back Phil Hasty has gone down with flu and is a doubt.

Cook was hoping a bug was not set to sweep through the ranks having lost Aussie second-row Dave Buckley to a virus last week.

Buckley should return this weekend, while Mark Blanchard might also be available after his ankle injury, but prop Jamie Bovill (groin) and Craig Farrell (hamstring), despite signs of improvement, are likely to stay with the long-term absentees on the sidelines.

Cook said of Elston: "He's off to see a specialist. It (the injury) started getting better but it's got worse again this week. There might be some cartilage damage in there but we need to get it checked out."

The injury situation, plus the potential flu bug, means the Knights Academy are unlikely to field any first-team squad players in tonight's game away to Doncaster Lakers, meaning Under-21s coach Paul Higgins will again have to put faith in inexperience.

Doncaster have their own problems and were thought to be struggling to raise a side, though the game was still on at the time of going to press, with kick-off scheduled for 7.30pm.

The North Yorkshire Service Area representative teams begin their five match campaigns tomorrow, against their counterparts from South Yorkshire.

The Under-14s and U15s are at home at New Earswick ARLC, kick off 10.30am and 11.45am respectively, and the U12s and U13s are away at All Saints Sports College, Sheffield, ko 10.30am and 11.45am respectively.

Updated: 10:28 Friday, May 05, 2006