“They will be coming at us full pelt,” Workington Town chief Mark Fryer has warned ahead of a hugely significant derby clash with Whitehaven.

The two sides will lock horns at the Zebra Claims Stadium on Sunday (3pm ko) in the penultimate match of the Super 8s.

A win for fourth-placed Workington would see Phil Veivers’ men book their place in the Championship Shield play-offs.

A loss for Whitehaven and a win for Hunslet tonight, who are currently in the relegation zone, would see them go level on points. However, at present, Whitehaven have a better points difference.

Fryer, vice-chairman of Town, said: “It’s a big game, all Town v Haven derbies are big games.

“I have consistently said all season that we don’t take anything for granted. We have to work hard and prepare well.

“They will be coming at us full pelt. They want to put us down. It’s up to us to make sure that we play at the level we have been over the last few games.”

Town have already had the better of their fierce rivals three times this season in the league – a 40-0 win at home in April, a 26-20 victory at the Summer Bash in Blackpool in May and a 28-6 win away at Haven in July.

Town also struck an early psychological blow in January when they beat Haven 26-0 at the Zebra Claims to clinch the Ike Southward Memorial Trophy.

Workington are the in-form team heading into Sunday’s clash after winning six of their last eight games.

But Town’s players will be hurting from their last match when they were beaten 50-10 away at London Broncos.

Fryer added: “I know that the boys were disappointed with last week and want to put it right.

“Our first priority this year was to secure our position in the Championship. To get into the top four would be a massive bonus for us.”

First-team trio Elliott Miller, Alex Szostak and Callum Phillips could all be back in contention for Sunday.

  • Town flyer: Monday, R Crawford, Seaton, E7148; Tuesday, M Cameron, Workington, B3829; Wednesday, R C Steele, Seaton, A2756; yesterday, R Roger, Egremont, C9550; today, A Tysoe, Workington, C8143.