THE merger between Keighley and Silsden amateur rugby league clubs has stalled.

Although matters off the field seemed to knit together well, a lack of players proved the stumbling block in trying to get a team together to play in the Pennine League for 2014-15, which started last Saturday.

Silsden ARLFC secretary Margaret Procter explained: "Getting the officials was the easy bit but we only got five players to a meeting that we called at Cougar Park to explain the merger.

"Another five were working, and two more were working away, but you cannot run a team with only 13 players because they won't be available all the time or they might get an injury that puts them out for six to eight weeks, or they might be suspended.

"We would have been delighted if we had got 20 players but we really wanted to work on a squad of 25.

"However, we aren't giving up and will call another meeting in a few weeks' time.

"By then we might have more players available, plus we might also have players from other clubs who are unhappy at standing on the sidelines all the time."