YORK City Knights have taken another exciting York youngster on trial - Bradford Bulls academy starlet Matty Downes.

Like York Acorn ARLC player of the year Joe Porter, Downes has been training with James Ford's men with a view to netting a semi-pro contract, and he too is in line for a run-out in Sunday's first friendly of the year, away to Featherstone Rovers.

The 18-year-old centre likewise comes out of Acorn's junior set-up, and this year represented England Lions Under-18s. He left crisis club Bradford at the end of last season.

The Blue and Golds pair will be joined by a third trialist in Josh Kittrick, a former Wakefield Trinity academy half-back who was at Newcastle Thunder last year, scoring two tries in seven appearances.

The 22-year-old previously made four appearances for Doncaster in 2015, along with two on loan at London Skolars, scoring one try, and four on loan at Oxford.

Knights head coach James Ford said of former York High School student Downes: "We've previously been interested in him but he elected to go to Bradford's U19s last year. It's not quite worked out there and he became available again as Bradford's (off-field) situation worsened, and we've brought him back.

"He's a big, strong, athletic centre or second-row and another good prospect that we've picked up, and, as he spends more time with us, his skills and understanding will improve.

"He's someone I'm looking forward to investing time in to see where we can take him."

On Kittrick, Ford said: "He's been around for a while but it's not quite worked out for him for one reason or another.

"He's still young for a half but he's got potential - he's got good skill and composure about him - and he now needs to work on transferring that potential into ability on game day.

"He wanted an opportunity to earn a contract and we've given him that opportunity. If he works hard enough and shows the desire, we will look to make it permanent."