PLYMOUTH Albion will be without Canadian international lock Tyler Hotson for this Saturday's re-arranged Championship match at Bedford.

Hotson has flown home to Vancouver to see his grandma, who is in hospital, and will not be back in time for the trip to Goldington Road.

Albion had been due to have a blank Saturday this weekend, but their game with Bedford was re-scheduled after it was frozen off last week.

Albion do hope to have back-row forward Herbie Stupple and hooker Gareth Evans back for the trip.

Neither would have been available had the game been played last weekend.

But Albion will again be without long-serving Tongan centre Keni Fisilau.

Albion suspended Fisilau for two weeks after he was cited for a dangerous tackle against relegation rivals London Scottish in January.

That ban should have taken Fisilau up to his RFU hearing, which was due to be held on Monday.

However, the hearing was adjourned pending further evidence, and will not now be held until this coming Monday.

Albion, though, have opted to continue his suspension until the hearing, ruling him out of the trip to Bedford.

Coach Nat Saumi has yet to decide whether he will stick with the same team he announced for last weekend, with the exception of Hotson, or change it, with Evans and Stupple possibly available again.

Meanwhile, Saumi has admitted Henry Slade could come back into his plans, if he proves his fitness.

The city-born teenage fly-half started two Championship matches for Albion earlier in the season, before suffering a back injury and then a knee problem.

He has not played since early October.

However, Slade, who is dual registered with Exeter Chiefs, has been named in the 24-man England Under-20s squad to play Italy this weekend.

"We could get him down again, if he proves his fitness," said Saumi.

"With Mark Lee still out injured, Paul Roberts is our only fly-half."