NEW Earswick All Blacks ARLC player-boss Jack Stearman admits his side will be rusty come next Wednesday's York & District Cup final against York Acorn - but remain determined to retain the trophy.

He also says the fixture clash that night with York City Knights' recently rearranged League One match against Coventry at Bootham Crescent "can't be helped", the pro club having had few available dates in which to stage the game.

It is more than two months since All Blacks had their last outing in the Pennine League winter season and over a month since they beat York Lokos in the local semi-final.

Stearman said: "It's a while since we played and probably we will be rusty but we will give it a good go. As with every derby, players will come out firing.

"We've been training pretty well and we'll be up for it. We've got to defend our title."

On the fixture clash with the pro team's midweek match, Stearman, a former Knights player and staff member, said: "It's not ideal but at the end they have a short regular league season this year before the Super 8s and they had to fit the game in when they could.

"They've probably been put in a position where they couldn't really do anything about it.

"We're still hoping for a good turn-out and we will support the Knights when we can as well.

"It's a shame it's on the same evening as I'm sure lots of people would have wanted to see both games but it's nobody's fault."