YORK City Knights are to take on leading community club York Acorn ARLC in a friendly outing – but supporters won't be able to watch.

As mooted by The Press, the two clubs have agreed to play what is effectively an opposed training session after the Knights saw their opening two pre-season outings of the year, against Hull and Featherstone, cancelled due to bad weather making pitches unplayable.

However, it will be a behind-closed-doors session, with Knights boss James Ford saying it was more practical that way than having to arrange a full friendly.

He added that he hoped the session would aid Acorn in their upcoming Challenge Cup tie against Sharlston Rovers – so that the two neighbours could potentially meet each other for real in round three.

A date and venue for the encounter have not yet been confirmed but, with Acorn's cup tie scheduled for Saturday, January 30 and with the Knights taking on Castleford Tigers this Friday night, it will most likely take place one night next week, potentially in addition to the teams' usual training sessions.

"We've arranged to play Acorn's first team in a controlled training game situation," said Ford.

"We will work on our shapes and systems against a well-coached, well-drilled team, while Acorn get a chance to do the same against us.

"It will hopefully increase their chances of beating Sharlston in the cup. If they can progress, what a fantastic occasion it would be if we got drawn together."

Friday's match against Cas is otherwise the Knights' only pre-season fixture left before the League One season starts on February 21, although Ford has not ruled out another full friendly being organised in the next few weeks.

"We will have to see if it's possible – but there are irons in the fire and the board are trying to rectify that situation (of having only one pre-season fixture)," he said.

"But I'm happy with where we're at for January. We're certainly a long way in front of where we were last year (when the off-field strife left the club without a training base)."

Acorn's season proper in the National Conference League premier division does not start until March but boss Scott Rhodes said the fact they had this cup tie coming up meant it made sense to have a run-out against the Knights.

He said: "It will be beneficial to us. We've had maybe two or three weeks' training now but, while that's been going well, with the frost kicking in we've only had two field sessions and we're a bit behind schedule.

"When the Knights asked if we'd be interested I said yes, what with the cup game coming up.

"It will be competitive and gives our lads a chance to dust off cobwebs and have a proper runabout and get back into contact work. It's always nice to test yourself against quality opposition.

"York need a run as well. They've been in pre-season a while, since November, so will look to give us a good going over – but we'll see how it goes."

On the Sharlston tie, Rhodes added: "It's another game to me. It's a bit awkward as it's so much earlier than our season starts, which takes a bit away from the occasion. But it's always the aim to progress and get to face a pro club."