HEAD coach James Ford insisted York City Knights remained “very capable of winning the play-offs” despite watching them sign off the regulation League One season with a heavy defeat.

The 50-8 reverse at Keighley Cougars was a fifth loss in the Knights’ seven Super 8s fixtures.

However, they were already sure of a place in the top five and Ford, having fielded a weakened team, was adamant that after a week off to recharge batteries his revitalised side could well be back firing on all cylinders for the all-important promotion semi-finals.

In that four-team showdown, Ford’s men will travel to the losers of next weekend’s promotion final between big favourites Toulouse, the unbeaten table-toppers, and second-placed Rochdale.

The latter defeated Hunslet in their last game to qualify for that first final, leapfrogging Barrow who lost at Toulouse to slip to third. Barrow now host fourth-placed Doncaster in the other play-off semi-final.

“We’re very capable of winning that semi-final,” said Ford, whose team have already beaten Rochdale three times this term.

“We won’t win if we play like we have done against Keighley but I’m pretty confident we can turn it round.

“We wanted to come and play well and take some momentum into next week, but the fatigue levels are enormous.

“These boys have shown over the season that they’re good enough to be in there. They’re just looking a bit jaded at the moment and it’s up to me and the coaching staff to arrest that.

“We’ll get energy levels and confidence up and then we'll see.

“The important thing is we’re one game away from a final.”

Ford’s men have played three games in eight days, Thursday’s match against Doncaster having been rearranged from the start of the Super 8s when it was called off at the height of the Knights’ off-field strife.

“It was outrageous to ask part-time athletes to play three games in a week, with two days in between fixtures,” said the head coach. “Super League do it over Easter and the injury list becomes enormous.

“It’s not the Rugby Football League’s fault or my staff’s fault, but we’re lucky to get through with only one injury – Tommy Saxton (groin) – and hopefully it won’t be too serious.”

Ford made five changes to the personnel that lost on Thursday - including bringing Rich Wilkinson back into the fold, nearly two months after the half-back-cum-full-back “retired” in readiness for travelling the world, having lost his place in the side.

Ford also utilised half-back/hooker Pat Smith in an unaccustomed role at loose-forward.

He said: “If I could have made more changes I would have done. I would’ve changed the full squad.

“The boys out on the field were the only players who were fit. I use the team ‘fit’ loosely – they were the 17 least injured players.

“They worked pretty hard but fell away, not due to not being good enough but due to being incredibly tired.

“They’ve played more games than anyone else (in League One) – remember we got to the iPro Cup final and did well in the Challenge Cup.

“They need a bit of a rest and, if they get that, we’ll see a response in the semi-final.”

Ford added: “I’m disappointed with the outcome. You never want to lose by 50 and I didn’t expect that, but I understand just how hard it was in terms of their energy levels. To play Thursday and try to back it up against a good team like Keighley two days later is tough.

“I’m not making excuses. Congratulations to Keighley. Paul March (Cougars boss) is leaving them and it’s a good way to sign him off.

“But my team looked really tired. We were okay for half an hour and it was two tries all. We then let in a couple of sloppy tries before half-time and that was an indicator we were tired.

“In the second half our energy levels were really low. Keighley played well, got repeat sets and put us under pressure.

“But we’ve got a week off and our season then starts again.”