Size does matter according to York City Knights second rower Damian Ball in the run up to the return to National League 2 duty against Sheffield Eagles.

Sheffield are renowned for packing a few extra pounds in the scrum and it could create problems for a slighter team like York.

But Ball is confident the Knights can keep them in check and get the ball out to the wings where the fleet-footed York wide players can cause all the damage.

He said: "Obviously they've got a really big pack so we're going to need to be really tight around the ruck.

"I know that's what they have based a lot of their success on in the last two years. They're a big set of guys. But I think we've got the edge on them on the fringes so we'll be looking to exploit that.

"It's about our width at the end of the day. We know that, on our day, we can be the best team in the league, but we can also be the worst, too.

"I just hope that the Featherstone game was a step in the right direction."

Ball earned the player of the match accolade after the Arriva Trains Cup quarter-final play-off conquest of Featherstone on Sunday and recognised the positive display as being what was needed to bring the Knights back to reality after the disappointing showing against Hunslet.

"It was quite a tough performance really," he said. "I think it was what we needed after last week. All the lads were disappointed but I think we've tossed that out the window now with the performance and on a personal note I'm quite happy with the way we played - and with getting the man of the match - but I think it could have been one of a handful of guys.

"It's always nice to have a bit of a run in the cup and beating teams like Featherstone, but it's important that we don't lose sight of what we're really aiming for, and that's the league.

"It will be good to get back to the regular week-in-week-out league season."

Updated: 11:27 Wednesday, April 28, 2004