CHRIS THORMAN is likely to play a powerful pack in York City Knights’ banana skin tie against Hull Dockers tomorrow – as he doesn’t want to “make the same mistakes as against Gateshead”.

The Knights host the National Conference League amateurs at Huntington Stadium tomorrow (3pm) in a Carnegie Challenge Cup third round tie knowing they are overwhelming favourites to progress to round four.

But they were also big favourites against Championship One minnows Gateshead in the Northern Rail Cup a month ago and only just scraped a victory, having fielded a weakened team.

Player-boss Thorman has this time named as strong a 20-man squad as possible – barring injuries, including to Thorman himself, and the absence of their dual-registered quartet – and, while some fringe players will inevitably feature, he says he does not want to take any chances when it comes to dominating the midfield battle.

“We don’t want to make the mistake we did against Gateshead,” he said, having rested front-line props Adam Sullivan and James Houston and back-rowers Tommy Haughey, Ed Smith and Jack Aldous that day. All five are in this weekend’s squad.

“We need a strong pack to dominate them up front. We’re missing Chris Green and Brooke Broughton as it is, plus Paul King, so I don’t want to miss any more.”

The Knights had needed two quick-fire tries from debutant Green to turn it round against the Thunder, but he and Broughton are among the dual-reg players who will sit this one out under instruction from their parent clubs, who do not want them cup-tied. The other two are fellow forward Laurence Pearce, who is yet to make his debut, and in-form back Ben Hellewell.

King is still struggling with his elbow injury although of more pressing concern has been a bout of pneumonia, which needed hospital attention, caused by a chest infection. He will be assessed next week though hopes of his being fit for the Championship trip to Leigh next Friday are not high.

James Haynes has trained again this week but is not 100 per cent due to his ongoing sciatic nerve problem. Waine Pryce is a long-term casualty, and Thorman is sitting this one out to rest impact injuries picked up over the last fortnight.

Reserve forwards Adam Howard, Joe Hemmings and Jack Stearman, reserve winger Ben Dent, and back-up hookers John Gay and Kris Brining are in the 20. At least three of those will play due to enforced rotation.

Either way, the Knights remain huge favourites – but Thorman has warned against complacency.

“I’ve stressed all week in training and I’ll stress it before the game – the attitude has to be right,” he said.

“We have to come with a good attitude, respect the opposition and expect a battle. It’s their cup final. They’re playing a professional outfit.

“Our main focus is the start. We haven’t started well in the last couple of games. If you take the start of the Halifax game last week, it’s another reason we should’ve got more out of it.”

Loose-forward Nick Powley, with five tries in their two NCL premier division games, has been a recent dangerman for a Dockers side who are unbeaten this year, though Thorman admitted he knew little of their team other than what the Hull-based players in his ranks had passed on.

He said: “They’re doing all right in a competitive competition. They’re from Hull and, in my opinion, people from Hull are brought up on rugby league. It’s the number one sport there. They take it seriously and I expect Hull Dockers to take it very seriously.”

Knights: from Tansey, Sutton, Bush, Elliott, Garside, Dent, Ford, Turner, Lee, Gay, Brining, Sullivan, Houston, Benson, Hemmings, Stearman, Howard, Smith, Haughey, Aldous. Referee: Gareth Hewer (Whitehaven).

• The Challenge Cup fourth round draw will take place on Monday at about 8.50pm on BBC Radio 5Live, conducted by rugby league legends Andy Gregory and Lee Crooks, the former York Wasps head coach.

Crooks’ appearance will mark the 30th anniversary of the last Cup final replay, in which his Hull side beat Widnes 18-9 at Elland Road. The draw will play part of a Rugby League Cup special on 5Live Sports Extra between 8.20pm and 9.30pm.