TRY-MACHINE Ben Dent is poised to return to York City Knights’ playing ranks on Good Friday - in a welcome boost to head coach James Ford after a busy few days of comings and goings.

The Knights kick off their Kingstone Press League One campaign at Keighley Cougars and they will have fit-again Dent - last season’s top scorer with 20 touchdowns in 23 appearances - back in the ranks and back on the wing as they bid to upset the odds against arguably the highest ranked team in the competition.

The 23-year-old, the second- top scorer in Championship One last year with 18, was dropped to team two for the pre-season Probables v Possibles encounter after a minor breach of club discipline, and he then suffered a cracked cheekbone after an accidental clash of heads in that match, which ruled him out of the four cup ties in March.

Said Ford: “There were one or two things early in pre- season that we weren’t overly happy with, but I could not be more happy with his response. His energy and attitude in training have been very evident.

“He’s desperate to play for this club and, given the way he’s been training, he’ll be one of the first names on the teamsheet.”

Meanwhile, Ford has released centre Corey Hanson and signed “ultra competitive” and signed “ultra competitive” young gun Jordan Potter as a like-for-like replacement on a first-team contract following a successful trial at his home-town club.

The Knights have also offered terms to another centre, Adam Swift, who has come through the reserves.

Jamaica international Hanson, 22, came to York from Sheffield in the off-season looking to kick-start his career after making only two Eagles appearances last year, plus three on loan at Gloucestershire following an injury-plagued period.

However, he has been unable to break into the first team in the opening four competitive games.

Said Ford: “Both parties agreed they weren’t the best fit for one another.

“The club would like to thank Corey for his efforts and commitment in a very testing time for the club off the field. Hopefully he can fulfil his potential.”

Teenager Potter, who was a record-breaking try-scorer when a junior at Heworth ARLC, played a few games for New Earswick ARLC before Christmas after being released by Featherstone’s academy and has since impressed Ford in training.

Said the head coach: “We have signed another promising youngster in Jordan Potter, who has impressed everyone with his appetite for work and how he competes for everything.

“It has been really obvious how much he wants to be a rugby league player, especially for York.

“He’s a full-bloodied competitor in every aspect of training and he’s overtaken one or two people in the pecking order for an opportunity to play in the first team.”

Ford added: “Centre is a position we’ve got a lot of potential quality in, with the likes of Greg Minikin, Liam Cunningham, who has started the season really well, Tyler Craig, Pete Aspinall and Adam Dent.

“Jordan’s still got improvement to make but, if he continues with the same worth ethic, I’ve no doubt that sooner rather than later he will be very close.”