BOSS James Ford insists nothing can be taken for granted even though his on-fire York City Knights side are now odds-on to reach their first-ever cup final.

Two try-of-the-season contenders by Brett Turner helped the Knights topple Rochdale 40-16 in a quarter-final cracker at Spotland, after which they were handed a home iPro Sport Cup semi-final tie on May 1 against expansion club Gloucestershire All Golds.

Victory will put them into their first final since the 2010 National League Two play-offs, and their first knockout competition final since being formed in 2002, albeit a relatively minor comp for League One clubs only.

However, Ford said: “We will be favourites but we won’t go into the game underestimating Gloucestershire.

“They’ve got a good coach in Greeny (Lee Greenwood) and they’ve made some astute signings.

"I’ve had a look at them already – they’re moving in the right direction and for expansion clubs that’s what they need to do. I’m sure they’ll continue to improve and they’ll be up for it.”

The All Golds surprised Newcastle Thunder 36-28 to go into the hat, while the other semi-final sees Keighley go to London Skolars, surprise victors over Gary Thornton’s Doncaster. Ford’s men have already beaten the Cougars and Skolars this season.

The Knights’ victory at Spotland, meanwhile, was their sixth straight win of 2016 and a fourth over expected League One promotion rivals.

The moments of the match were provided by Turner, who began at full-back but switched to the wing and duly scored two wonderful tries, his second a sensational 70-metre solo effort.

Ford said: “They were excellent tries. The first had really good reactions from Ed Smith and James Morland on the free play and a great finish from Brett – an old-fashioned winger’s finish.

“The second was just sublime. I don’t know how many people he beat but it was a lot.”

Fit-again Ben Dent also bagged two tries on his 2016 bow, having swapped his wing berth with Turner’s spot at full-back midway through the first half. In-form full-back Richard Wilkinson, meanwhile, was in the stands having been left out due to a niggling ankle injury.

Ford added: “There’s competition for places at the club and we all have to improve – that’s the only way we will get to where we want to get to.”

Rochdale boss Alan Kilshaw, who returned to England in the autumn after three years down under, suggested in the build-up that York’s winning form this year was at least partly down to the groundwork by previous coach Thornton in 2014.

Ford admitted being “irritated” by that but quipped: “Those systems (under Thornton) must have been really effective for Alan to know about them while he was in Australia. No, we just used it as added focus.

“How we’re playing and how we're set up to play is not down to anybody who's been at the club before. It's down to the players and my backroom staff – they deserve the credit.

“It’s a collective effort from everyone at the club, and the playing group are central to everything we do.”

It was 16-16 at half-time. Ford added: “We fixed up one or two things, but it doesn’t matter what you say at half-time – it’s what the boys come out and do. They’re the ones who should take the credit to come out and put that many points on such a good team.

“I’m really proud of what they’re doing and I hope the city of York is too.”