YORK City Knights have signed two players to bolster their Kingstone Press League One challenge - but “annoyingly” not in time to travel with their new team to Oxford tomorrow.

Head coach James Ford has recruited hooker Casey Canterbury, 21, whom he once coached at Wakefield College, for the rest of the season, and brought in 20-year-old Huddersfield prop Mick Learmonth on loan.

Canterbury, a former England Under-19s player, was previously at Hunslet and was set to join Gloucestershire permanently this year after a loan spell last season, only for the move to fall through.

Learmonth, who has previously been in Leeds and Wakefield’s academies, earned a full-time deal with the Giants for 2015 and joins York to gain further first-team experience following a loan stint at Oldham.

However, both Ford and Huddersfield were left scratching their heads after the Rugby Football League ruled the registrations were too late for this weekend - the governing body having now implemented a strict noon deadline on Thursdays.

Ford is still to shake up the side that lost last weekend’s league opener at Keighley, though, with hooker Harry Carter and back-rowers Ryan Mallinder and Pete Aspinall back available, and Tyler Craig earning a recall. On-form hooker Kriss Brining, though, is a big injury doubt.

Said Ford of his new recruits: “They would have been in contention but the RFL changed the deadline and we weren’t aware of that.

“It’s annoying as it just means two lads can’t play. Casey is a player I know. I taught him at Wakefield College. He’s similar to Kriss and Harry in that he has a strong running game and a good approach - he wants to better himself and is a good young pro. He’s still only young and still has development in him.

“I’m a believer in competition for places and we’ve now got three hookers - Kriss, Harry and Casey - all of similar age, and Jack Iley, who is doing a good job in a new position, who need to be at their best in every session and every game. Of the four, the ones who earn a run most will play.”

“Mickey has been one of the leading players in his age group for a number of years and he needs an opportunity to play first team in the right kind of environ - ment to make sure he continues his development.

“He’s similar to Ryan Mallinder - he’s aggressive, carries the ball with intent and puts himself about defensively.”

Ford also got pointers from former Knights player-coach and team-mate Chris Thorman, who is now on the staff at Huddersfield.

“Chris gave him good raps,” he said. “I’m pretty excited to bring him across.”

Canterbury’s unavailability means Iley is poised to get another chance as replacement hooker tomorrow if tests confirm Brining has cracked a bone in a hand.

Carter will definitely feature on his return from injury, likewise Mallinder, with Aspinall also back having missed the Cougar Park clash due to work issues.

Brad Nicholson is omitted entirely, with Jack Pickles also set to make way.

Meanwhile, Craig, left out since the season opener at London Skolars, comes in for Ben Dent - last year’s top scorer seemingly struggling to nail down a shirt this year.

Said Ford: “Tyler deserves his chance. He started off well and didn’t play poorly against Skolars, just didn’t quite hit the standards I’ve set, but he’s responded well.

“Ben did okay against Keighley but I’ve seen him play at an outstanding level and he needs to be at that level week in week out.”

On Oxford, now led by ex-Heworth ARLC boss Tim Rumford, Ford said: “They have a new coach with new players and it will take them time to gel. Tim is a good coach and I’m sure he’ll get things right.

“We need to support rugby league expansion teams and help them kick on to make the competition better and I wish them all the best - apart from this weekend, obviously.”

Knights (probable): Haynes, Morrison, Minikin, Cunningham, Craig, Presley, P Smith, Applegarth, Carter, Aldous, E Smith, Tonks, Roche. Subs: from Iley, Mallinder, Aspinall, Leary, Pickles, B Dent, Brining