ASSISTANT-COACH James Ratcliffe is delighted with the speed with which the new-look York City Knights side is taking shape.

The first-choice team had their first run-out of pre-season on Sunday against Super League outfit Wakefield, with no fewer than nine new players in the starting line-up - including player-coach Paul March - and four more on the bench.

And, although the 40-16 reverse was a lopsided scoreline, Ratcliffe reckoned it was an unfair reflection on proceedings and believed his side were coming together well, with only one more friendly to go before the Northern Rail Cup begins.

"There were a lot of positives for us. We wanted to see how far we had come from when Paul and myself took over, and some of the things we saw on the field were things we had been working on," he said.

"The players worked hard and we got what we wanted out of it.

"The scoreline was probably a bit unfair. Mark Applegarth had a good try ruled out and Luke George's try at the other end wasn't a try from where I was sat. But that's rugby, isn't it?

"The main positives were that we've come together with a new side.

"There were only four people in the starting 13 who were in last season's team We've put a side together in a relatively short space of time and turned it round into what I think will be quite formidable this season."

March and his twin, David, both made their debuts against their former club, and Ratcliffe, who was delighted to see the Huntington Stadium faithful quickly get behind the team, reckoned the 28-year-olds could still cut it in Super League.

"Paul and David are competitors," he said. "They had a point to prove and they want to show they can still play at the top level. They're good enough to do it, and I think it's Wakefield's loss and York's gain.

"I think there are good times ahead this season. Hopefully the crowd will see that. In the second half we got the old crowd going again and that's always a positive for the players when you hear the crowd get behind you."

He added: "It was our first run-out for the full first-team squad. We caused Wakefield problems on quite a few occasions and to score 16 points against a Super League side shows there are some positives in there to build on."

Wakefield boss John Kear, who had coached the March brothers at Belle Vue last season, was also impressed by the Knights, and was happy with the test his side had been given.

"I thought York were very good," he said. "It was probably when we had our strongest team out, at the start of the game, that they gave us our most severe test.

"Paul March and David March can be very pleased with themselves and with what they've brought to York. I was also happy for Mark Applegarth and Steve Lewis (ex-Wakefield players), who I thought contributed well.

"The Marches are competitors so we knew they were going to come out and have a good go, and that's what they did.

"It was the type of trial game we needed. It was good to get a really good, thorough workout."