KEIGHLEY head coach Craig Lingard is delighted to welcome back the experienced Matt Bailey for tomorrow's visit of the Knights.

The prop sat out last weekend's 94-0 hammering of West Wales Raiders, but returns at Cougar Park tomorrow – with Lingard praising his selflessness.

The coach remarked: "Matt could have played but he wasn't 100 per cent fit and he wanted to rest and be right for York.

"I found that admirable because he's given up his winning pay, but he knows it's important to be there for the tough part of the season that's approaching. It's great to have someone with that attitude."

Cougars have already identified the threats that they need to address against second-placed York, with Lingard saying: "They're a really clinical side who do the basics well.

"They try and slow you down with the big forwards that they've got and they try to play off the back of that.

"With their forwards dominating, it looks like they're scoring some really good offensive tries but all they're doing is going down the middle and playing off the back of a quick ruck.

"We have to make sure we win that forward battle and our middles have to dominate theirs in the arm-wrestle.

"I think we have the better strike players on the edge so we can score a lot of tries there and restrict them down the centre."

Reflecting on the victory over the Raiders, Lingard felt his left-sided players formed a particularly potent combination.

Former Knights man Josh Tonks made his return from a back injury and his efforts, alongside the free-scoring trio of Dan Parker, Adam Ryder and Andy Gabriel, were among the most pleasing aspects of the Cougars' Betfred League One win.

Lingard enthused: "I thought Dan played really well, coming in at half back with Matty Beharrell injured. Josh came back and dominated down the left-hand side, with Dan and Adam, and we scored a lot of points on that flank.

"We've got a good partnership down there with Josh and Adam. Andy Gabriel has played with them virtually every game this season too and it was also nice to see Dan doing well, as he's played on the right all season.

"Josh only passed a fitness test on the Friday evening in our last session. We wanted to make sure he was 100 per cent for the York game but he declared himself fit and came through the game fine."