CHORLEY Lynx have a vital home fixture tomorrow when they entertain bottom club Gateshead Thunder at Victory Park, KO 3pm.

Victory for Lynx would move them above York in the league table and also probably ensure that they finish off the bottom at the end of the season, defeat would most likely condemn them to the bottom slot for the second season running.

Last Saturday Lynx took an understrength squad to Sheffield and were heavily defeated despite putting up a better show in the second half. Coach Graham West is battling with a growing injury list with Darren Geritas, Mike Prescott, Phil Harrison, Stuart Fisher and Lee Ashton on the treatment table, with Ashton being the one unlikely to be fit.

Attempts to bring in Neil Alexander in on loan from Rochdale have reached stalemate and youngsters Paul Wilcock and Andy Horrobin signed from amateur rugby will keep their places in the squad.

After the original Thunder outfit merged with Hull, Gateshead were allowed back into the league this season. Like Lynx they have found the going tough losing all 15 league games so far with largely a young and inexperienced squad. They will rely heavily on half backs Darren Callaghan and Carl Briggs along with experienced hooker Roy Southernwood and they will be confident that they can record their first victory of the season.