JAMES FORD reckons York City Knights are prepared for the rigours of the Betfred Championship - even if the unrelenting nature of the competition is new to many of his players.

After five years in League One, where difficult games are interspersed with relatively easy fixtures against the game's minnows, the Knights are having to learn quickly about the weekly demands of the second tier - which continue apace on Sunday with the visit of Leigh Centurions.

This latest big Bootham Crescent bout offers Ford's men no respite following on from last week's win at Bradford Bulls, but the head coach says challenges such as back-to-back games against former Super League sides is something the club have craved - and worked towards.

"It's not a surprise to anybody," said Ford of the relentlessness of the Championship. "When you look at the fixture list there are former Super League clubs and clubs that have dominated the Championship all around it.

"It's exciting. It's something the supporters have been looking forward to and we have as well.

"We know it's going to be a challenge. We know Leigh are a good side. We're confident in ourselves and we're looking forward to it, but we know we have to be at our very best to take anything from the game."

Asked if players more used to League One might struggle to back up performances at this level week in week out, Ford said: "I see the point.

"But we backed it up every week last year. We won 24 out of 26 matches. Some of the opposition weren't as good as now, we know that, but our performances were high or people got left out or video reviews on a Tuesday would last an incredibly long time.

"The standards at this club are high. We've been striving for consistency for a couple of years, and this season it's a necessity otherwise we will get beat."

While York sit pretty in third place in the table with three wins from four, Leigh are seventh having won two and lost two.

But John Duffy's men have had arguably the toughest start of anyone, with defeats coming to Halifax and, last week, Toronto Wolfpack, when they were held off 14-8. York themselves had received plaudits aplenty when holding the Canadian 'galacticos' to 14-0.

The Centurions have also beaten Featherstone 29-20 and Super League wannabes Toulouse Olympique 24-16.

Said Ford: "Leigh have started really well. They beat Featherstone and Toulouse and they surpassed our efforts against Toronto.

"They are a genuine top Championship side with a top coach (Duffy) and we have a lot of respect for them.

"It will be an immense challenge but we're looking forward to facing them.

"We want to be in this competition, playing the likes of Bradford one week and Leigh the next, testing ourselves against the best teams and best players outside of Super League."

The Centurions, relegated from the top flight at the end of 2017, had some financial difficulties last year and saw a mini player exodus after they failed to reach the Middle Eights, but they have built again.

Ford added: "It's excited me to coach against teams like Leigh.

"It wasn't so long ago that they were in Super League. They're a quality side, they've got a really good squad, and they play some good rugby league as well."