Confident player-coach Mark Whitehead knows his Huddersfield YMCA side has the strength of character to recover from last week’s heavy defeat to Sale and return to winning ways at home to Rossendale on Saturday.

A 56-12 loss against the National III North title-chasing Manchester club was by far the YM’s heaviest of the season and came in the wake of the demoralising 24-8 home defeat to Wirral the week before.

To add to the Laund Hill club’s woes, scrum-half Simon Wilson (shoulder), centre Tom Van Rooyen (concussion) and winger Chris Clarke (hamstring) are all sidelined for this weekend’s clash.

But with strike player Ed Barber hoping to finally return following knee surgery, Whitehead knows it’s not all doom and gloom – and that a vital victory can be secured.

“The results over the past couple of weeks have been tough to take,” conceded Whitehead.

“Obviously, the defeat at Sale was our biggest of the season, but it was one of those days when everything seemed to be against us.

“Not only were we up against an opponent with a big playing budget – ours is still zero – who were right on top of their game, but we lost Chris Clarke in the first minute and Simon Wilson and Tom Rooyen later in the half.

“That meant I was forced to move from the pack to scrum half and prop Josh Wrafter went into the centres, and that was obviously far from ideal.

“Because it was one of those days, we’ve told the players not to dwell on it, which I know they won’t.

“It’s not affected the way they’ve trained this week. In fact, it’s made them even more determined to make sure they put things right and take their bitter disappointment out of Rossendale on Saturday.

“They’re a side that play well at home but are notoriously poor travellers, so it’s up to us to take full advantage of that fact.”

And Whitehead knows the possibility of Barber ready to enter the fray off the bench will give his teammates a very timely lift.

“We had hoped Ed would have been back before now, so if it’s this weekend than it’s good timing,” added Whitehead.

“He’s been able to take part in the full-contact sessions this week with no ill-effects, so we’re feeling pretty confident he’ll be ok.

“Obviously, losing Chris, Tom and Simon means we are a bit stretched in the backs at the moment, but that’s not been a factor in the decision to include Ed. He does look ready.”

Huddersfield YMCA: Dyke, Murphy, Moore, Bell, Housley, Hill, Whitehead, Lumb; Willans, Wood; Bentley, Stead, Ryder, Bulloch; Fletcher. Subs: Watson, Robertson, Barber.