Green on the other side this time as Bradford play host to Leeds

Selby’s Chris Green is a former Bradford union player and will line up against them at Keighley in the third series of fixtures on Sunday.

A former professional, he joined Cleckheaton on regaining his amateur status and played for Bradford for a couple of seasons before moving to live in Selby.

Also playing for Leeds is Paul Croft who made his debut two weeks ago playing against champions York and won both his matches.

Sand Moor’s Croft teamed up successfully with Barry Hardcastle (Wike Ridge) in the foursomes and complemented a victorious start with a crucial singles victory.

The match finished in an 18-18 tie and captain Tony Greenhalgh said: “It was exciting and it all came down to the last game involving Paul.

“If he won then we tied the match, but any other result would have been a win for Bradford and he came through for us. It was a very encouraging start from him.”

Although, in his profession as a policeman, Croft would be expected to handle pressurised situations Leeds’s captain decided not to appraise him of the importance of his singles match.

Pontefract’s Simon Coumbe, who has won all four of his matches in Leeds’s tie with York and 20-16 defeat to Sheffield, is unavailable after reaching Final Qualifying for next month’s Open at St Andrews.

​Greenhalgh’s counterpart Tim Wade will also have to make enforced changes​ and will field Skipton pair Chris Payne and John Ellison as well as welcoming back Cleckheaton’s Martin Gaffney.

Bradford won their first match 21-15 against Harrogate at Pannal, but went down 22-14 at Woodhall Hills to East Riding despite having led 7-5 after the foursomes.

“After five singles matches we were two ahead, but then we lost six on the bounce. We lost three on the last green, two on the 17th and one on 16, but that’s how it goes. You’ve got to take it on the chin,” said Wade, who will welcome seeing ex-Bradford player Green.

“He’s a very good player and a nice lad, too.”