HEAD coach James Ford has called on York City Knights supporters to get right behind the team as their hectic schedule continues with a key clash against League One leaders Rochdale.

After bouncing back against Coventry in midweek from the heartache of their iPro Sport Cup final defeat, the Knights now face a team sitting pretty at the top of the table with eight wins and a draw in their nine league fixtures.

Ford's men won the iPro quarter-final between the sides at Spotland two months ago during a seven-match winning streak at the start of term but since then have won only five of their nine games in all competitions – and Ford wants any "negativity" surrounding some of those results to be put in perspective.

"We've had some outstanding performances and we've had a couple that haven't been quite where we want them to be," he said.

"But I don't understand why there's so much negativity around my team's performances.

"We've lost a cup final to a late try that shouldn't have been given, we've lost away at Barrow when ten players were missing and a number of others played ill, and we've dropped a point against a very good North Wales team.

"We go into every game confident. I've got a good team and I believe in them.

"I'm not sure why certain players seem to come in for a bit of criticism. They get enough of that from me. Everyone else should get behind them and support them."

In the past month, York have beaten Gloucestershire in the iPro semi-final, dropped points against Barrow and North Wales but won at Newcastle in the league, lost a tough iPro final in a heartbreaking finale to Keighley and bounced back to defeat Coventry in the league on Wednesday night.

Rochdale, by contrast, have played two games fewer but won them all – seeing off Barrow and surprise package London Skolars before having easy wins against Oxford, 52-24, and South Wales, 70-6, prior to a fortnight off.

Hornets boss Alan Kilshaw reckons his side have been afforded a better build-up for this match, so much so he has called for changes in the way fixtures are arranged.

He explained: "You get momentum when you're playing but we've had a much better week of preparation for this actual game than York.

"I was disappointed for them – these part-time players have to go to work all week and they're asked to play a cup final then Wednesday, Sunday.

"It's something that needs looking at. If it was us, we would've had to travel to Barrow on Wednesday night.

"I think they were a bit flat in the first half (against Coventry), which you can understand. However, James is a quality coach and he will get the energy levels up."

Ford said of the contrasting game preps: "Only time will tell. There are two ways you can approach it. We've been very busy playing, so practising and video review work have been missing.

"Rochdale have had some down time and before that had some quite big scorelines, playing a few teams considerably weaker than them. We've been in their situation ourselves and have come into a game and got caught cold a bit.

"There are strong arguments for both. I'd prefer to be in Rochdale's situation but I've worked with coaches who prefer to be in ours."

Ford added: "Rochdale are a very good team and Alan has done a very good job. The transformation there has been remarkable.

"That last meeting doesn't count for anything. We've got to make sure we bring an abundance of energy to our performance.

"We're looking forward to playing them. It's been a tough week – but rugby league players like challenges and we're excited by this latest challenge."

Asked about the importance of the fixture, Ford added: "It will be a key match in terms of league positions for the Super 8s at the end of the regular season.

"But in terms of the actual outcome overall, it will carry some weight but it won't be a deciding game."

Ford is waiting on the fitness of full-back Richard Wilkinson and centre Tyler Craig before confirming his line-up.

But returning to the 19-man squad are Austin Buchanan, who sat out the midweek win, and fit-again Matty Dale, who has not played since Barrow, the veteran pair in for the inexperienced Adam Dent and Jack Anderson. Centre James Morland, rested against Coventry, also replaces of Brad Hey.

Ford said Dent and Anderson were unlucky to drop out after fine displays in midweek.

Knights: from Wilkinson, B Dent, Saxton, Morland, Craig, E Smith, Buchanan, Nicklas, Presley, Waller, P Smith, Aldous, Tonks, Divorty, Emmett, Brining, Dale, Spiers, Applegarth.

Hornets: from English, Bloomfield, Ratu, Galbraith, Riley, Crook, Yates, Tahraoui, Moore, Thompson, Smith, Case, Tilley, Murray, Hadden, Philbin, Cookson, Trumper, McClurg.

Referee: Callum Straw (Wakefield).