HEAD coach James Ford has no qualms about ringing the changes for York City Knights at Oxford on Sunday as he prepares to throw in three debutants and swap round half his line-up.

Two of this week's notable new loans from Halifax, centre Sam Smeaton and packman Adam Robinson, along with teenage half-back Harry Tyson-Wilson, who arrived on loan from Hull last week, are set to start the League One clash.

Fit-again Rich Wilkinson and Harry Carter - who have missed the last four and six games respectively - are also added to the 19-man travelling party along with Matty Dale, Brad Hey and Jack Anderson, making potentially eight changes to the 17 that beat Hunslet.

Some alterations had been expected against the expansion club at Tilsley Park (2.30pm) following the recent tough schedule of four games in 15 days, three of them against promotion rivals, including the iPro Cup final.

But altering half the high-flying team is still a surprise, especially with several key men being rested - among them Ed Smith, Josh Tonks, Jack Aldous, playmaker Jonny Presley and try-machine Kriss Brining.

When asked if fluidity could be affected, Ford said: "We're a well-prepared team and all the boys coming in are good players.

"It's an opportunity for them to stake a claim to become a regular. I have no issues with whichever 17 I put out. I pick the best 17 for the club on any given day. What matters to me is that the team wins and the club moves forward."

Ford has described Smeaton and Robinson as "two of the best signings the club has made in many years" - especially if they end up staying the season, not just the initial one-month period.

He said: "I've been really fortunate to have been able to bring in players of such high quality to add to an already strong squad, and I'm thankful to the club and Halifax for allowing us to do the deals.

"I'm really excited to see them. They'll bring a lot of experience and ability to our edges."

Tyson-Wilson will replace Presley and form a half-back partnership with Danny Nicklas - the only player to have played every match so far this term.

"I'm really happy with how Jonny's been playing over the season," said Ford. "We brought Harry in to freshen us up in the halves and he's looked really good in preparation and deserves to start.

"We've only had two half-backs and I'm much more comfortable having three.

"Rich Wilkinson and Pat Smith are options there but I feel Rich, long-term, can mature into an excellent full-back, while Pat and I agree hooker is his best position."

Captain Aldous is named in the 19-man party but is unlikely to play, meaning Mike Emmett will take the armband.

Minnows Oxford shocked Gary Thornton's Knights team 24-16 at Huntington Stadium in April 2014, and have given York some testing times in the three meetings since, despite 58-16, 44-20 and 36-26 defeats.

However, they have won only once in 11 League One outings this term, and their only two wins in all competitions have come against fellow strugglers Hemel.

Ford said of the hosts: "They're a threat. I watched them against Toulouse (a 54-8 defeat) and they made the first couple of line breaks and against Rochdale they posted 20-odd points (a 52-24 defeat).

"They're a capable team with ball in hand and have a fair bit of spirit among them. If they can get their tails up, they're a hard team to beat.

"We need to respect them and their key individuals but we need to focus on ourselves, make the game as quick as possible and get our execution right."

Oxford boss Tim Rumford, the former Heworth ARLC coach, whose side lost 48-10 at Coventry last week, said: “That was a disappointing performance following our first win of the season.

"York are a good side who have recruited well so it’s going to be a big test.”

Oxford this week signed 6ft 4in ex-London Broncos academy back-row Harry Griffith.

Also in their squad are former Knights Ryan Backhouse, who joined a week ago, Casey Canterbury, Josh Nathaniel and Danny Allan, plus Allan's former Heworth team-mate Adam Withington.

Oxford: Davies, Parry, Griffith, Carter, Hayes, Withington, Brooker, Igbinedion, Nicholson, Harrison, Canterbury, Backhouse, Burnett, Allan, Nathaniel, Gill, Casey, Gardiner, Cryer.

Knights: from B Dent, Wilkinson, A Dent, Smeaton, Morland, Buchanan, Tyson-Wilson, Nicklas, Applegarth, P Smith, Crowther, Divorty, Robinson, Emmett, Carter, Dale, Hey, Anderson, Aldous.

* THERE will be a minute's applause before every rugby league game this weekend to celebrate the life of 17-year-old Ronan Costello who died on Tuesday after being injured playing for Huddersfield Under-19s against Salford last Saturday.