YMCA chief Damon Scholes welcomes Gavin Stead back as he sends his injury-hit squad to West Leeds tomorrow (3.00) aiming to get back on track after last week’s disappointing loss to Hullensians.

Goalkicking centre Stead has not played since the opening day of the season after picking up a knee injury against Barnsley.

He starts on the bench in the Yorkshire II clash at Leeds, where Scholes is without skipper Neil Walker (achilles tendon), prop Mark Lockwood (medial ligament), winger Chris Beever (ankle) and centre Stuart Morton (knee).

“I’ve never known an injury situation as bad as we’ve got here at the YM,” said Scholes.

“We have some cover in the backs, but I’m concerned about our strength in depth in the forwards. Our front row this week, for instance, has an average age of 19!”

And Scholes has also selected another young player on the bench, where Jack Housley makes his First XI debut, while in the absence of the club skipper, hooker Stuart Dyke takes over as captain.

West Leeds are mid-table with three wins from five games, and YM know to expect a tough battle up front where the Wortley side generally have a big set of ‘old heads’ in the pack.

YMCA: Horner; Shaw, Barber, Williams, Smith; Swift, Wilson; Dyke (Ste), Dyke (Stu), Sellars, Whitehead, Hellawell, Tuivunilagi, Hodge, Pollock. Subs: Stead, Housley (J), Leone-Mazza.