YORK City Knights’ Challenge Cup trip to Super League Grand Final winners St Helens will not distract the players from their task of rising up the Kingstone Press League One table, head coach James Ford insists.

The eagerly awaited sixth round game, one of the picks of the televised draw on Monday night, will not be played until May 15 - with Ford’s men having to negotiate league battles with Coventry Bears (tomorrow, 3pm), Swinton Lions and Gloucestershire All Golds in the meantime.

But the Knights chief believes the standards he has laid down in his short time in the hot-seat will neither see his squad diverted by the massive game three weeks in the future nor spurred on to greater heights in a bid to make the match-day squad for the trip to Langtree Park.

“We are very much focused on the league fixtures and picking up as many points as we can,” Ford stressed. “As a group, we have not really spoken about the cup.

“We are focused on Coventry and our own standards tomorrow.

“We want to meet those standards, regardless of who we have got coming up. The players are striving to meet them. Coventry will come up here feeling pretty confident.

"They have had a couple of good victories and they play an open brand of rugby league.”

Reported comments from the Coventry camp, allegedly questioning the mobility of the Knights’ “middles”, have also been used as fuel to stir up the competitive fire in his side ahead of the game.

He added: “There have been some disrespectful comments aimed towards our middles. I was surprised and pointed it out to Ed Smith and Jack Aldous. They reportedly said the middles lacked a bit of size and that we would have to go out wide too early.

“If I was them I would take it personally and make sure my performance was absolutely outstanding.

“They are good players at a good club and need to be treated with respect. I was a little bit annoyed. It was aimed at us as a group of people and we will be aiming to change their opinions.”

Ford has called for a consistent 80 minutes from his side as they bid to take a maximum point haul from the Clifton Park clash but he is likely to have to juggle his squad with centre Peter Aspinall banned for two games by the RFL disciplinary board after admitting running in and striking Oxford’s Nathan Kitson earlier in the month and a host of other players doubtful.

Ford, though, feels this a great opportunity for other members of his squad to step up and stake a claim for a shirt.

"We are striving for consistency," he added on the Knights’ efforts so far this season. “We have had outstanding patches in all of our games. I am happy with how we attack and we kicked the ball really well last week.

“We need to build some defensive stuff on the back of it and we need to grow those patches. We are aiming to increase the amount of time we are on the money. That’s how we will grow.”

On his squad, Ford said: “We have got a number of players competing for places. Colton Roche is not going to make it this week but that gives an opportunity for someone to try and stay in the team. Ryan Mallinder should be good as should Kriss Brining.

“We will check on Liam Cunningham and, if he is not available, that gives Tyler Craig an opportunity. He has shown glimpses of ability so far this season and he needs to play and to kick on. There will be some pressure on him (if he plays) but he wouldn’t be at the club if I didn’t think he could do it.

“He is really keen and hungry to play for his home town club. Overall, we want to win our home games, while focusing on the performance.

If we get those bits right, if we play quickly and with intent, the outcome will speak for itself.”