The 23-year-old has made 11 appearances for Fax this year after fighting back from a shoulder reconstruction, the latest in an agonising catalogue of fitness problems that sidelined him for the majority of 2007.

But he has not played since the Challenge Cup defeat by Huddersfield last month and scans have now revealed extensive damage which will require an almost identical operation on the same joint.

"Everyone is so disappointed for Mick, we just cannot believe it," said Fax boss Matt Calland.

"I don't know how unlucky someone can be, to be honest.

"A fit Mick Govin is one of the best players in National League One, and he has done a great job for us this season.

"We were hoping for some good news, but he has seen the specialist and basically he's got the same injury as before, but at the back of the joint rather than the front.

"The surgeon's talking about a four to six month lay off, depending on how the operation goes and how it responds to rehab."

Govin's long-term absence gives Calland a further headache in the critical hooking and half back roles, which have proved problematic since key imports Sam Hoare and Aaron Heremaia went AWOL before Christmas.

Captain Sean Penkywicz's broken hand is likely to be in pot for at least another week, leaving veteran Graham Holroyd and Australian Janan Billings as the only recognised playmakers ahead of Sunday's clash with Dewsbury, a game which could see Fax leapfrog Salford into top spot depending on the Reds' result against Celtic Crusaders on Thursday.

But with cultured forward Paul Smith an outstanding deputy in the thumping of Batley last time out, Calland remained upbeat.

"Paul was superb, as he has been over the last month," said Calland, who bemoaned his former Rochdale teammate's omission from April's 'Dream Team'. "How he was not in the top five backrowers is a total mystery to me."


Wigan coach Brian Noble admitted he is "looking forward" to a Carnegie Challenge Cup quarter-final trip to Leeds after watching his men run up a century of points against Whitehaven at the JJB Stadium.

The Warriors, inspired by five-try debutant half back Sam Tomkins, ran out 106-8 winners.