NEW Cougar coach Frank Punchard saw his career as full time boss get off to a nightmare start when Workington snatched victory with a Manchester United-style last-gasp score.

Phil Stephenson looked to have grabbed victory for Punchard's boys when he powered over for a late try of his own, but as the Keighley side were preparing to celebrate, the Cumbrian side ruined their party plans.

This week the nightmare continued as a string of players reported to the treatment room with illness and injuries.

"We picked up quite a few injuries in last week's game, and there seems to be a bug going through the club which has really hit some of the players hard," Punchard said.

Chris Robinson had to be helped off the field in agony after breaking a finger during Sunday's game. The compound fracture left part of the bone sticking through the skin of his hand.

Robinson was enjoying a spectacular revival after being sidelined from the first-choice squad under Lee Crooks, he will miss this weekend's game but is expected to make a quick recovery from the injury.

Captain Jason Ramshaw is also expected to be out of action after suffering more problems with the groin strain which has caused problems over the last few weeks.

"In typical fashion he has wanted to carry on playing, but there comes a time when you have to consider a player's long-term fitness. He has been told to rest and he is unlikely to be part of the team against Batley this weekend," Punchard said.

The list of sick and injured also includes Alex Smits who has been struck down by the stomach bug, Andrew Schick who has a muscle strain, Nathan Antonik who is on antibiotics with tonsillitis and Chris Wainwright who is recovering from a finger injury.

Veteran Keith Dixon should be back after recovering from am achilles problem. He performed well in training early in the week and was due to have a game with the A team yesterday (Thursday).

"We have a good squad, but it is not very big and we can't afford to carry too many injuries.

"At the moment it looks like Sunday's game against Batley will have to be a real 'Rorke's Drift' effort and we will have to fight to the last man like Michael Caine in the film Zulu.

"We will be working on a game plan which will work to the strengths of the team we can put out," Punchard said.

He was disappointed with his team's defensive performance against Workington.

"We let ourselves down badly. When you consider how well the lads defended for 40 minutes in the second half against Swinton, and then look at last week's defending -- particularly in the last five minutes -- it was terrible.

"What was particularly disappointing was that we didn't use any of the things we had been working on in training.

"What we have to do know is forget about that game and remember we have won six of our last eight matches, only Dewsbury have done better.

"We will have to show determination at Batley," he said.

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