CLEETHORPES could be the Solly Sports Yorkshire ECB County Premier League dark horses, reckons York Cricket Club skipper Dan Woods.

The North Lincolnshire outfit arrive at Clifton Park tomorrow boasting the league's only unbeaten record and sit in third just three points behind Woods' men.

He believes they have shown enough form to top the pile, with six of their nine games having finished in draws thanks partly to the spring's inclement weather.

Woods, whose side will be without top batsman Jack Leaning who is on Yorkshire duty, sees Cleethorpes as a "big threat" and insists they will pose a tough test.

"They have been really unlucky with the weather," he said. "I have been speaking to their captain, Alex Osman, and he is confident they have got a really good side.

"They will be quite a big threat to the league and I think they will be pushing us really close. They have got a lot of good players and it is going to be a really tough game.

"They have got a lot of strength in depth and, usually, a strong overseas player. There is a lot of experience and they have played a lot of good cricket for a long time."

Richard Love will come in to bat at seven against Cleethorpes. Overseas player Travis Ilka will open the batting.

Yorkshire Academy are the only team to beat Woods' men this season in the league and York will have the chance to gain revenge for that defeat when the young Headingley battlers arrive at Shipton Road for the second round of the Yorkshire League Knockout Cup.

York, as league champions, received a first round bye to allow them to compete in the Black Sheep Champions Trophy, and will need to be at their best to conqueror an Academy outfit that Woods says are now "built to win".

He added: "As the years have progressed, the Academy have got better and better. They are very well organised and they play very hard. Maybe in the past they might have played to give everyone an opportunity. They play tough, hard cricket. It's very enjoyable but it is a very serious game."

York's league game with the Academy, meanwhile, which was due to be played on July 5 at Clifton Park has now been moved to Sunday, August 18, because of the Tour de France.