YORK City Knights boss Paul Broadbent is hoping his team have 'learned the lessons of Sheffield' ahead of tomorrow's big home game against high-flying Barrow.

The Knights go into the match on the back of a 64-8 thumping of Gateshead Thunder, but the last time York hammered struggling opposition - the record 66-6 win over London Skolars - they followed that up with an under-par show against Sheffield.

The Knights lost 25-18 to table-topping Eagles that day - a team who are ahead of Barrow on points difference only -- in what was their previous home game, and Broadbent was naturally looking to continue the form of last week rather than drop to those levels again.

"Every week you play you're looking for consistency," he told the Evening Press. "It goes without saying you want the guys to be producing the same level of quality every week.

"Maybe we've learned from our lesson against Sheffield but only time will tell. It's all about what you produce when you get there.

"We're aware it was a big game (versus Sheffield) and we under-performed. I don't question the fact any of our guys did not want to play, it sometimes just does not happen for you. We've worked hard and we've had a chat about things. It's a big game again this weekend and we're confident of putting on a better performance."

The Knights ended their poor start to the season with a victory away to Barrow on May 25, which set them on a run of seven wins from nine games to propel their promotion surge.

But the Raiders have also kicked on from there - currently occupying third place as the play-off race hots up - and Broadbent has already said what happened at Craven Park will have no bearing on tomorrow's clash.

"They are chasing the same thing as we are and they will come with all guns blazing to give us a run for our money," he added.

"They've got some big and strong guys, they carry the ball strongly and have a good off-load game. We've got to make sure we're ready for them."

The Knights will give a late fitness test to player-assistant coach Graeme Hallas. The centre has been struggling with a groin strain picked up against Sheffield which forced him to miss the Gateshead game, but he trained on Thursday with no reaction so the Knights are hopeful he will be available.

Other than that, Broadbent is likely to go with the same 17 that hammered Gateshead, although (as reported elsewhere) they were awaiting late confirmation that on loan full-back Jonny Woodcock would be available before returning to Doncaster.

Barrow anticipate being unchanged from the side which took the points in a

narrow victory over Cumbrian rivals Workington last week.

Coach Cameron Bell said he was now resorting to "putting sticking plaster on the players and sending them out for the next game" in order to keep the Raiders in the hunt.

"We are working off a squad of 20, so our hands are tied," said Bell, who could still be without Aussie hooker Dave Clark for at least another two weeks.

Knights: (probable) Woodcock, Godfrey, Callaghan, Law, Kama, Cain, Brough, Hayes, Jackson, Forsyth, Ramsden, Smith, Krause. Subs: from Helme, Hughes, Molloy, Spink, Hallas, Deakin.

Barrow: (probable) Bower, Marshall, Smith, Jones, Irabor, Manihera, Henderson, Liku, Archer, Dancer, King, Lupton, Atkinson. Subs: Pate, Luxon, McClure, Jones.

Kick-off: 3pm

Updated: 09:37 Saturday, August 09, 2003