Honest Huddersfield YMCA chief Damon Scholes admits his side will be taking a step into the unknown when they host Birkenhead Park tomorrow.

With at least seven first-team players either injured or unavailable, Scholes has conceded a makeshift side will be taking to the field as his club bids to build on their opening National III North home triumph over Cleckheaton a fortnight ago.

Seven players missed last week’s trip to the Wirral, when they suffered a 44-27 defeat, and a similar number are expected to be missing this weekend.

The men from Laund Hill could be boosted by a debut for back-row forward Lewis Starbuck, who has followed new YMCA forwards coach Ian Spence from Beverley. Club officials are awaiting clearance from the Rugby Football Union for him to play.

But even if Starbuck is given the nod, Scholes knows the strength of his squad will be tested to the full to overcome a Birkenhead Park side who were beaten by the YMCA in the play-offs to secure a National III North spot two seasons ago.

“It’s fair to say we’re doing it tough at the moment,” said Scholes, who has now lost prop Sam Slater (eye) and could possibly be without utility back Corey Rhodes (leg) as a result of the Wirral loss.

“There’s been no-one at the club busier this week than our physio, Lucy Metcalfe, who’s been working around the clock to patch up the players and make sure we can get a side out there on the field this weekend.

“We know that when we’ve got a fully-fit squad we’ll be a very tough team to beat, it’s just a case of getting through this period and picking up as many points as we can. Having said that, we still feel we’ve got the squad capable of winning this weekend.

“They certainly have the ability, it’s a continuity issue that’s causing us the problems, because we just don’t know from one week to the next who we’ll have available and the way we can approach a game.

“To be honest, we’ll be going into this Birkenhead game not really knowing what to expect.”

Huddersfield YMCA: Bulloch, Dyson, Morton, Emsley, Rhodes, Berry, Ryder, Hodge, Tetley, Barber, Wilson, Dyke, Wrafter, Moore, Robertson, Lumb, Starbuck, Bell.