JOE Keyes thinks Whitehaven could be even more fired up on Sunday because of their financial problems.

The Cumbrians announced last Wednesday that a budget shortfall meant that the future of the club was uncertain.

But just two days later an impressive £25,525 had been raised for Haven in what is a passionate rugby league area, and by Monday afternoon the amount was almost £35,000.

Half-back Keyes, who made his comeback in the 50-12 home win over North Wales Crusaders on Sunday after missing four games with a back injury, said: "It is sad to hear that another club in rugby league are going through the same thing as we did last year.

"They are going to be fired up this weekend and we will need to be on our A-game."

Ticket prices have been reduced to £10, and 600 had already been sold by last weekend, and Keyes admitted: "It is never easy up there.

"Their crowd never go away so we need our fans to travel up there in good numbers and get behind us so we can come away with two points."

The Bulls' last trip to Cumbria resulted in their only league defeat of the season so far – a 17-16 setback at Workington Town in early April, where the build-up was dominated by arguments over whether the match could be live streamed onto the internet (Sunday's game at Haven will be).

Keyes explained: "We think that we let the journey get the better of us at Workington, so we just need to get rid of all the things that came over us and focus on ourselves and put in an 80-minute performance – like we almost did against North Wales.

"I thought the first half was pretty flawless.

"We played really well and pretty much completed all of our sets, and it showed with a 28-point lead at half-time.

"Then in the second half there was a 15 to 20-minute blip where we went away from what we had been doing so well, and it came back to bite us as they got two tries.

"But it was good that we finished the game strong and it something decent for us to look at going into the game at Whitehaven."

When asked to explain why the Bulls were so off key for some of the contest against Crusaders, Keyes admitted: "I can only put it down to discipline.

"It was a warm day, and when you have been running around for 50, 60 minutes it can take a toll on you.

"We need to be better around the 60-minute mark, especially in a tight game."

However, the result apart, the best news for Londoner Keyes was that he got a full match under his belt and came though unscathed.

He said: "The main thing was to get a good 80 under my belt.

"I was a bit rusty but that was obviously to be expected after four weeks out, and we got the win.

"It is especially frustrating being out when the boys are doing well with four wins on the bounce – you want to be a part of that.

"But I am just grateful that I have got through injury free and can kick on for the rest of the year."

Meanwhile, former Warrington player Paul Wood has come out of retirement and is set to make his Whitehaven debut against Bulls.