IT will be York City Knights' first final since the 2010 play-offs and York's first knockout cup final since 1978 - and you could be there to watch it courtesy of The Press and the Rugby Football League.

Victory over Gloucestershire All Golds saw James Ford's men qualify for the iPro Sport Cup final, which will be played during rugby league’s the Summer Bash in Blackpool later this month, when Championship clubs meet for a full round of fixtures on one stage over one weekend.

This final - of a competition played for by League One clubs - will kick off that weekend's proceedings at noon on Saturday, May 29.

And The Press has teamed up with the RFL to offer fans the chance to win one of two pairs of tickets that guarantees admission not only for this showdown against old rivals Keighley Cougars but also for the full weekend of fixtures.

An RFL spokesman said: "York City Knights are all set to play in the iPro Sport Cup final at Rugby League’s favourite bank holiday festival, Summer Bash 2016.

"Held at Bloomfield Road in Blackpool on Saturday, May 28 and Sunday, May 29, Summer Bash will provide an unmissable experience for everyone, with plenty of big clashes and high-intensity action guaranteed, and the iPro Sport Cup final is the perfect way to start the weekend."

Championship clashes that follow include the battle of big guns Bradford and Leigh, plus Cumbrian, Heavy Woollen and Great Manchester derbies.

All you have to do to be in with a chance of winning a pair of tickets is answer the following question:

What score did York City Knights beat Gloucestershire All Golds in the iPro Sport Cup semi-finals to qualify for the final at the Summer Bash?

Email your answer to peter.martini@thepress.co.uk using the subject "Summer Bash tickets competition" or put it on a postcard with the same heading, marked for the attention of the Sports Desk, The Press, 84-86 Walmgate, York, YO1 9YN.

Make sure you include your full name, address and daytime phone number on your entry. The deadline for entries in Wednesday, May 18.

The full list of fixtures at the Summer Bash is:

Saturday, May 28: Knights v Keighley, iPro Sport Cup final – noon; Sheffield v London Broncos – 2.30pm; Workington v Whitehaven – 4.45pm; Bradford v Leigh – 7pm.

Sunday May 29: Dewsbury v Batley 12.35pm; Oldham v Swinton 3pm; Halifax v Featherstone 5.15pm.

Tickets start at £20 for adults and £10 for concessions. For information, visit www.rugby-league.com/tickets/summer_bash

TALKING of events, it seems tickets are going well for the upcoming Magic Friday fixture, when the Knights travel to Newcastle Thunder.

The League One clash at Kingston Park, next Friday, takes place the night before Super League's Dacia Magic Weekend extravaganza down the road at St James' Park.

The corresponding fixture last year - when York were again the opposition - drew 2,557, boosted by some Super League supporters who were up in the North East for their games.

Thunder have reported this week that more than 2,500 tickets had already been issued for this next one, declaring they are "preparing to welcome their biggest crowd in over a decade".

As a result, for the first time since moving to Kingston Park from their old Gateshead headquarters, Thunder will open both the West and East sides of the ground.

There will also be a curtain-raiser, too, for any Knights fans heading up early, featuring the British Army team.

Supporters wishing to buy tickets can do so by phoning 0871 2266060, with advanced prices of £10 for adults, £7 for concessions and £5 for under-16s valid until 5pm on Friday.

Here's hoping James Ford's men put on a better show this time compared to last year, when they were turned over 32-14.

IT'S taken a while but two-time former Press Player of the Year Jack Aldous is finally on this year's leaderboard.

"Mr Duracell" was deemed our man of the match in last week's disappointing defeat at Barrow after one of his long yet effective stints in the engine room and so picks up three player-of-the-year points.

Kriss Brining was deemed our second best performer (2pts), despite again being at the centre of transfer talks for the second time this season, while Russ Spiers was deemed our third best player (1pt), even re-entering the fray late on despite the neck and head blows sustained in that awful spear tackle in the second half.

The Press Player of the Year leaderboard: Carter 11pts, Wilkinson 8, Brining 8, Presley 6, E Smith 5, Spiers 5, Morland 4, Turner 4, Emmett 3, Nicklas 3, Applegarth 3, Tonks 3, Crowther 3, Aldous 3, Buchanan 2, Mallinder 1.

TALKING of that dangerous spear tackle, Barrow forward Danny Morrow has been charged by the Rugby Football League of a Grade 'D' dangerous throw offence of lifting and dropping a player in the 52nd minute of the match.

If guilty, Morrow, who was sin-binned at the time, faces a ban of three to five matches.

Team-mate Chris Hankinson, however, faces no charge after the incident that left Brett Turner with a bloody nose.

Turner had been running with the ball before Hankinson came in with a covering tackle which saw Turner knock-on before exiting with suspected concussion.

The RFL disciplinary panel, having viewed video evidence, deemed it was not a high tackle worthy of punishment. It concluded: "Player reaching towards opponent. Contact made in open-handed manner. Attacker hits ground forcibly but player has not made forceful contact to head of opponent."

York's Ross Osbourne also faces no charge for the incident later in the game that was put on report by referee Tom Grant.

The panel said: "Player makes contact with opponent after ball has been passed. Contact is in a pushing motion. No contact with head. Worthy of penalty had try not been scored."