LONDON Skolars arrive in York tomorrow as the only team in the National League yet to win a match in either the league or the preceding Arriva Trains Cup.

However, the club are content with the big strides they have made in what is their first-ever season of professional rugby league.

The club was founded just eight years ago by the Student Rugby League Alumni principally for graduates living in London - and that link exists in the club's name.

Development since then saw the club gain success in the London League, then the RFL Summer Conference (formerly the Southern Conference), and they also spent four seasons in the National Conference League. Improved standards in the Summer Conference saw the club resign from the NCL in 2001 to concentrate on that league and their bid to become London's second professional club.

Like York City Knights, the Skolars were granted National League Two status by the Rugby Football League ahead of this season.

Their Arriva Trains Cup programme bore no victories and their first two games in the league have resulted in heavy losses - 48-2 against Sheffield and 68-6 at Keighley - but they have continued to grow off the field and are continuing to recruit players, with two players joining on loan from Super League side London Broncos this week.

Coach Mark Croston told the club's website: "There were only two out of the eight ATC games which we weren't close to winning, and we have proved we can compete at this level. We have enjoyed a steep learning curve over the past few months and if we continue to improve each week we will be difficult opponents."

Tomorrow, they will have Rubert Jonker, Corrie Bennett and Charlie Oyebade returning from injury, while ex-Wigan Warrior Paul Koli could also make the line-up.

Croston has publicly stated that recent Broncos loanees Dom Peters and Paul Sykes will not play at Huntington Stadium, but the possibility of either or both stepping in cannot be ruled out.

Croston is also planning a surprise selection in the second row. "I can't say too much at the moment, but it's on the cards that there will be a shock in store," he said.

Updated: 10:18 Saturday, May 03, 2003