NEVER mind the opposition - "we play our own game.”

So said York RUFC coach Lee Denham as he touted his side’s strength in depth ahead of their RFU Intermediate Cup quarter-final at home to Bowdon.

The visiting Greater Manchester side reached the last eight of the national competition as they won their final group match 27-12 at Cumbrian side Aspatria. York, meanwhile, ran rampant at Gateshead, claiming a huge 81-5 victory.

Among the scorers were debutant Harry Taylor and first-team regular Dan Coe, while veterans Daz Rutherford and Rob Hodges came off the bench alongside Colts graduate Oscar Bell, who was making his bow.

And the quality that runs through this mix of youth and experience means Denham remains confident his team can square up to any opposition – known or otherwise – and set themselves up as they want to.

Denham said: “We play our own game. We didn’t know what Gateshead were going to bring last week, so we took the game to them. And it worked – to end the first 17 phases with a try was fantastic.

“I was very happy with the win - I can’t really be unhappy with an 81-5 win, to be fair. We let them in in the last few minutes, so that’s something to improve on.

“Harry Taylor will be getting another game at the weekend – and hopefully a few more tries.

“He knows his role, he makes good tackles and he gets involved.

“We’ve got good strength in depth, and we’re able to rotate.”

And Denham seems confident that, based on previous results, York will be able to overcome tomorrow’s opponents, who sit fourth in South Lancs & Cheshire One.

He said: “Bowdon are based near Timperley, which is my old stomping ground, although I’ve never played against them.

“They’re going to be a decent side. I know a few of their players and one of the coaches.

“It’ll be a good test – it’s nice to think we can run away with it again but I don’t think we will.

“We’ve only lost one game out of a lot, whereas they’ve lost five or six this season. Last week they were beaten by a team below them in the league (losing 39-20 at seventh-placed Leigh).”

Meanwhile, Pocklington remain bottom of North Premier following a battling 25-17 home reverse against leaders Preston Grasshoppers. Tomorrow they host 11th-placed Kirkby Lonsdale looking to build on the many positives of that previous outing.

Malton & Norton made another big step towards securing North One East safety with a 38-12 home win over Bradford & Bingley last week. Malt have no fixture tomorrow.

The same goes for Yorkshire One strugglers Selby, who earned a valuable 28-18 win over North Ribblesdale last week in their fight to escape relegation, and York RI, who lost 32-17 last time out at Yorkshire Four Shield leaders Bramley Phoenix.