JAMES FORD has admitted that York's system hasn't worked in their first two friendlies, ahead of Sunday's final warm-up match against Bradford Bulls.

The Knights drew 12-12 with Featherstone at the beginning of the month before losing 16-6 to Halifax at Bootham Crescent last weekend.

On Sunday, York make the trip to the Tetleys Stadium to face Bradford, with their Betfred Championship season kicking off at Toulouse Olympique just six days later.

For head coach Ford, the system of his side hasn't clicked thus far.

"Having had a real detailed look at it, I don't think how we set up to play worked," he admitted.

"These games are for trying different things.

"We're aware that we probably need to score more points this year.

"We've looked at different ways of attacking when we get into the opponents' half.

"And having had two trial looking at that system, I think it's fair to say that it probably wasn't quite right."

The Knights coach did see areas of improvement from his squad against Halifax, in spite of the result, with their reactive play gaining particular praise.

"I thought that we shifted the ball in yardage pretty well," said Ford.

"Although we didn't open them up, we took plenty of metres from the space that they afforded us on the edges.

"I thought that we reacted to offloads and quick play of the balls pretty well and certainly better than we have done historically over the past couple of years.

"We were unfortunate not to get something from that. Chris (Clarkson) and Marshy (Matty Marsh) bot slipped. I wouldn't say that they were opportunities but they were half-opportunities on the back of something.

"But, I thought that our good ball didn't click.

"We didn't execute particularly well when we had selected the right options.

"We may have kicked the ball away a little bit cheaply away on occasions."

Sunday's opponents Bradford have had a turbulent off-season with new ownership taking charge and a whole host of players coming and going from the first-team squad.

Famed coach John Kear remains at the Bulls, someone Ford was quick to praise.

"Bradford are a very dangerous side," he said. "They've got a coach with a fantastic history in the game.

"He's proven time and time again that he can get the best out of his players.

"If you look at his time at Sheffield when they won the Challenge Cup, his time at Wakefield and the very good seasons he had there. At Batley as well when they made the top four and obviously getting Bradford promoted from League 1.

"John's got a great history in the game and I'm sure that Bradford will be a strong side this season.

"I've not had too much of a look at them thus far because we're just looking at focusing on getting our own house in order.

"We're happy with some things that we're doing but we know that there's plenty of hard work to be done in other areas.

"When the league games come around, that's when we'll start focusing a little bit more of our attention on our opponents."

Back rower Josh Jordan-Roberts is back in the York squad for the first time this year following injury, while winger Perry Whiteley and centre Jimmy Keinhorst miss out through injury again. Ronan Dixon is a longer-term absentee.

York squad: Marsh, Wallis, Bass, Salter, Sharp, Johnston, Robinson, Green, Jubb, Clarkson, Washbrook, Scott, Spears, Brining, Teanby, Stock, Porter, Hey, Baldwinson, Jordan-Roberts, Towse (T), Harrison (T).