York City Knights have turned to Championship front-runners Featherstone to bolster the ranks in time for a crucial month – but not with the player expected.

The Knights are to take Rovers hooker cum loose-forward Jack Lee on loan until the end of May, with general manager Ian Wilson saying the move could prove significant as the club prepare to face most of their Championship One promotion rivals in that period.

The anticipated arrival on loan of Fev’s Papua New Guinea international Larsen Marabe has stalled, however, due to visa complications, leaving the Knights still looking to strengthen at centre.

Wilson said: “Jack is a strong lad and is very skilful. He’s got experience of playing in the Championship and we think he’ll be a great acquisition.

“We’ve got him for six games – and six big games as well.”

Lee will be available for Sunday’s visit of Rochdale – should he overcome a recent bout of food poisoning – as well all five games in May against high-flying trio Oldham, Hunslet and Blackpool, highly-fancied Swinton, and Rochdale again.

Wilson added: “Four of these six games are at home and if we can pick up some wins in this period it will put us right back in the race for promotion.

“If we get six wins, we’re right back in it.”

Lee came through the Castleford academy set-up before making a loan move to Featherstone permanent ahead of the 2009 season.

He has been a first-team regular in his time there, playing 40 times, including seven appearances this season, mainly off the bench, as Rovers stormed to the top of the table with six straight wins.

He has bagged ten tries in total, with his two this season both coming in the Northern Rail Cup.

However, the arrival at Post Office Road of loan ranger Ben Kaye from Harlequins, plus the form at dummy-half of Andy Kain, has dropped him down the pecking order for the time-being, allowing him to make this switch.

Wilson said: “He’s a quality hooker and loose-forward, and his arrival gives us the opportunity to move other players around.

“Richard Blakeway could probably go to his preferred position in the second row. It gives Joe McLocklan the chance to go to half-back where he’s done well, and it gives Paul Stamp some more good competition at hooker.”

Talks are ongoing with Rovers over Marabe, but it seems there is a lot of red tape to cut through. The Knights had hoped to have him on board by this weekend.

Wilson added: “It’s not as simple as making a loan move for a British player. It’s proving a bit more complicated than first anticipated.”

Meanwhile, the Knights’ reserves game at home to Widnes Vikings tomorrow night has had to be postponed.

The Vikings’ Carnegie Challenge Cup fourth round tie at home to Lezignan at the weekend had to be called off due to the French side’s inability to fly to England because of the ash cloud caused by the Icelandic volcano.

That match is now to be played tomorrow, with Lezignan instead travelling by road, leaving Widnes unable to have a reserve outing on the same night. A new date for the reserves match is yet to be confirmed.

The Knights Scholarship Under-16s’ match against Castleford at Huntington Stadium will now kick off at 11.30am on Saturday, put back from 10.30am.

• York City Knights Supporters’ Club, in conjunction with Cueball Snooker Club and the York Ladies Darts League, are running a race night on Friday night, at the Cueball Club on James Street, from 8pm.

There will also be various other fun contests, food and prizes, and admission is free.

All the proceeds will be split between the Knights Foundation and the Help The Heroes charity.