MARAUDING prop Craig Forsyth reckons the end-of-season run-in for York City Knights will be akin to the pressure cooker of cup rugby.

The Knights entertain promotion rivals Barrow Raiders at Huntington Stadium tomorrow (kick off 3pm) as they head into the business end of the regular season with five games to go.

And with only five points separating the top seven clubs in National League Two, a win could help cement York's place in the six play-off places, while a defeat could put their aspirations back in the balance.

"I think every game from now until the end of the season will become the biggest game of the season," Forsyth told the Evening Press. "From now on it's going to be like cup football where you've got to win them all."

Forsyth admitted the Sheffield game two weeks ago was an important one to lose but said it hasn't altered their belief that promotion is possible.

"Much of it is still in our own hands but a lot is out of them if other teams keep winning," he said. "But as long as we can get a bit of a roll going now and carry it into the play-offs, and as long as we don't have any more key injuries, we will be pushing for it.

"The pressure is building because the expectations have grown with each win, but the belief among the players is that we can do it if we pull together in the right direction on Sundays."

The former Doncaster front-rower - who joined home-town club York a week after the Knights won at Barrow in May, a game which kick-started their season - said that victory would have little bearing on tomorrow's clash as it depended more on how the Knights play.

"That was the Knights' first league win and, from what I've seen and heard, we've come on leaps and bounds since then," he said.

"It doesn't matter who comes to play us because it's down to us. We've proved with the wins against Keighley and at Hunslet that we can perform and if we can turn out the goods and the crowd get behind us, we are more than capable."

On the subject of the crowd, Forsyth said the York fans had been 'brilliant'. "When they get behind us it certainly helps, especially when you're under pressure or buckling a bit. The good support we've been getting certainly gives you a big lift. To see the same number or more turning up each week is superb and it does spur you on."

Updated: 09:20 Saturday, August 09, 2003