Rochdale Hornets match delay can play into Knights' hands

10:24am Tuesday 2nd February 2010

By Peter Martini

YORK City Knights general manager Ian Wilson says having to put the Rochdale game back a fortnight rather than play it this midweek could be a blessing in disguise.

The Northern Rail Cup opener at Spotland was postponed on Sunday due to a frozen pitch as the cold snap came back with a vengeance to decimate the fixture programme on the first weekend of the season.

There were initial plans to rearrange it for either tonight or tomorrow night, but the weather forecast for Rochdale was not good so the clubs agreed to put it back to Wednesday, February 17, kick off 8pm, rather than risk another call-off at late notice.

Wilson says this decision will help the team gear up for the plum home match against Championship big-guns Leigh on Sunday, as well as see them go into the Hornets game knowing if they need a result to progress in the competition.

“The forecast was no better for the rest of this week up to Wednesday and they did not want to rearrange it only to have to call it off again,” said Wilson.

“It’s not a problem for us – in fact it’s probably better for us. It gives us licence to go into the Leigh game fresh. You don’t want to have to play on Wednesday night and then face one of the best sides in the competition three or four days later."

The Centurions, now coached by outspoken former St Helens and Wigan boss Ian Millward, were one of few teams to begin their season at the weekend, beating Oldham 24-12.

Wilson, hoping for a big gate on Sunday for what is now the season opener, added: “You want to give yourself as good an opportunity as possible when you play a team like Leigh, and having to play on Wednesday and then back it up a few days later against them is probably not ideal preparation, especially when they played their game at the weekend and have a full week to prepare.”

The rearrangement will however leave Chris Thorman’s men facing three games in eight days later in the month.

They go to another Championship side, Sheffield, on Sunday, February 14, and, after the Hornets game, host Championship One rivals London Skolars on Sunday, February 21, in the last game of the Northern Rail Cup group section.

The Skolars, though, are not likely to be as tough as Leigh, while the Knights can plan accordingly knowing by then if they need victories to reach the knockout stages.

The Knights also have a reserve friendly on Thursday, February 18, against Hull, though Wilson said the squad was big enough to mean no players would have to play twice in two days.

“We will probably know by then where we’re at as regards possible progression in the cup,” he added.

“We might have given a couple of (first-team) lads a run-out in the reserves, but it will be a different side now and we might get the chance to include a few trialists.”