THE serious business will begin for the York City Knights tomorrow when they kick off their National League Two campaign against Gateshead Thunder at the Huntington Stadium (6pm).

Having been unable to gain some much-needed match practice in pre-season - the arranged friendlies fell foul of the weather - the Knights have used the Arriva Trains Cup competition as a chance to gel together.

Now, buoyed by some notable scalps, the Knights enter the 'bread and butter' of the league campaign ready to push for top honours in their first-ever season.

"This is the money part for us," player-coach Paul Broadbent told the Evening Press. "The cup has given us a chance to bed in and get to know each other and build an understanding, but now the work starts.

"I think we'd be disappointed if we are not up there competing for promotion, but that is the long-term view and we have got to deal with week to week games.

"It is easy to say want we want to do, but it is all an accumulation of what to do every match. The long haul will look after itself if we look after the games week in, week out."

Tomorrow's first game sees the Knights pitched against Gateshead and with many viewing York as promotion contenders and Thunder as relegation candidates, on paper an opening win is predicted.

But Broadbent is being more cautious over his side's chances.

"Playing any team at the start of the season is tough, because of all the enthusiasm that comes with a new campaign," he said. "I've seen Gateshead play a couple of times already, but they have got a few new players now and lost a couple.

"Generally they are a youthful side and I think that points to why they have been a bit up and down during the cup.

"They have been playing with lots of confidence and scoring plenty of points with their expansive game, but they have also been conceding a fair few. I think that shows they are not scared to have a go and take chances even if the mistakes costs them a try or two."

The Knights go into the clash still missing their star signings who have been sidelined through injuries.

Lee Jackson, Mark Cain, Graeme Hallas, Jonny Firth, Alex Godfrey, Matt Blaymire and Carl Stannard all out, while player-coach Broadbent faces a tough decision on the eve of the clash.

With a number of his star players already sidelined Broadbent could become the latest visitor to an over-worked physio.

The former Hull prop injured his calf in the opening 20 minutes of the final Arriva Trains Cup clash against Featherstone Rovers on Sunday and has yet to train on it.

But with Gateshead and then Sheffield Eagles to play over the Easter period, Broadbent faces a dilemma of playing on and risking a flare up or giving the injury time to heal.

Broadbent added: "It is still sore, but it is starting to settle down. I haven't tried to run on it though, so I am going to see how that goes.

"If it flares up I will then I have to look at standing down for Gateshead and hope I am okay for Sheffield. I don't want to try and play and have to come off early and then miss Sheffield. I will just have to see what I will do."

Updated: 10:37 Thursday, April 17, 2003