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Watch the pick of the action from Fax's 32-16 win over Widnes
HALIFAX are aiming to play their National League One top six showdown with Whitehaven at the Shay on Friday night - with the aim of giving the winners time to recover before a Grand Final qualifier at Salford or Celtic Crusaders the following Thursday.
Haven booked their trip to the Shay - setting up a repeat of last year's fixture at the same stage, which Fax won - with a 30-24 success at Leigh yesterday, Ged Stokes' side breaking a 14-14 interval stalemate to triumph in the last first team fixture to be played at Hilton Park.
Fax chief executive Graham Clay contacted Haven officials immediately after the match to propose the fixture switch, with the Cumbrians pledging an answer before close of business today.
"We've asked Whitehaven to agree to an 8pm kick off on Friday," said Clay.
"The team that wins is going to have a very tough televised fixture at either Celtic or Salford the following Thursday.
"Both those sides are full time and they will have had a full week to recover after their game this week.
"It's been a long season, players are tired and carrying bumps and bruises and those extra two days recovery time would make a lot of difference.
"Last year, we played Whitehaven on the Sunday and had to go to Widnes on the Thursday with a very tired, patched up team and paid the price.
"We wouldn't want to be in that situation again and I don't think Whitehaven would either."
Haven are unlikely to be enthused by the thought of a long trip down the M6 on Friday night, although Fax are clearly hoping the carrot of a weekend off for the winners will tempt them.
If the clubs cannot reach an agreement, the Rugby Football League will have the final say.
While Fax remain focused on prolonging their 2008 campaign, their plans for next season are gathering pace in the wake of the recruitment of Widnes's star playmaker Bob Beswick.
The 26-year-old was unveiled after Fax beat the Vikings 32-16 last Thursday, and Clay expects more recruitment activity in the next few days as director of football Martin Hall steps up behind the scenes negotiations.
"Talks are continuing with a number of players and I would expect some of those to bear fruit this week," said Clay.
Fax's reserves head to Leigh tonight (8.0) for their re-arranged first v second showdown, which was postponed on Saturday afternoon because of heavy rain.
Injured-plagued playmaker Mick Govin is expected to make his long awaited comeback against his hometown club, although there is no word on whether two more long term injury absentees, David Larder and Dana Wilson, will feature.
The full article contains 483 words and appears in Evening Courier newspaper.
