MICK Cook has kept all talk of the title to a minimum at training, demanding his York City Knights side instead deal with the immediate job at hand.

The Knights visit Hunslet Hawks on Sunday knowing victory would see them promoted with two games to spare.

But, rather than focus on the prize on offer, Cook is instructing his charges to concentrate on playing to their potential, which he reckons will reap the rewards on the pitch.

"I've not been speaking to the players about the title, but about playing better," he told the Evening Press.

"Some of the stuff we played last week against London Skolars was not really acceptable and we have to rectify that. We still won comfortably in the end but we need to be a bit better.

"We have to stick to what we know will work for us, cut out the poor errors and stop forcing things or trying things we've not really practised."

The Knights are now within touching distance of securing the sole automatic promotion place but Cook has played down suggestions there is added pressure associated with being so close to the year-long goal.

"I'm not sure if it's extra pressure," he said. "We're doing as we've always done - taking one game at a time.

"If we do well and win, the title is ours. But the only real pressure for me is the same pressure we've always had - to find consistency in our own game. If we get that as individuals it will transfer into the team performance.

"It is just two points like any other game. I'm looking for us to improve last week's performance, and we will have to because this week's game is going to be extremely tough."

Updated: 11:38 Friday, August 19, 2005