6:20am Saturday 6th March 2010
YORK City Knights caretaker-boss Chris Thorman has told his players and the fans not to get ahead of themselves in both the cup competitions ahead.
Tomorrow’s Challenge Cup third round tie at Gateshead will be followed on Wednesday night by the rearranged Northern Rail Cup group match against London Skolars.
The Knights are big favourites in both ties, and, with Super League clubs entering the Challenge Cup in the next round, victory tomorrow could garner them a money-spinning tie. Furthermore, midweek results – including a heavy defeat for Championship One arch-rivals Hunslet to Featherstone – mean they are certain to progress to the knockout stages of the latter should they beat the Londonders.
However, Thorman said: “It could be another opportunity for us but we have to be focused on Gateshead tomorrow then London Skolars on Wednesday before we get too far ahead of ourselves.”
The Knights’ hopes of Northern Rail qualification could have gone down to the wire had Hunslet beaten Fev, with points-difference potentially coming into play to decide the top four in group two. But Paul March’s Championship One favourites, having rotated a few players, were thrashed 68-0 at home to leave them needing victory over another Championship side, big-guns Halifax, to go through.
Leigh, meanwhile, beat Dewsbury 44-22 to guarantee themselves progression and effectively knock the Rams out – an outcome which makes the Knights’ opening day win over the Centurions even more notable.
“A win over London will see us through to the quarter-finals, which is fantastic,” said Thorman. “We want to go as far as we can in the competition, just like we do in the Challenge Cup.
“Opinions throughout rugby league differ when it comes to these cup competitions but I’m a firm believer in playing to win every competitive game.
“Progression would be good for the club. We can raise the profile of the club again and, who knows, we might be able to take another Championship scalp.”
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