JAMES FORD reckons more is to come from both himself and the team as York City Knights head into the Championship run-in – despite the loss of organiser-in-chief Chris Thorman to injury.

Ford has played in all eight games since arriving at York from Widnes, and gave arguably his best display in the crucial victory at Dewsbury on Sunday when he set up three tries, including Dave Sutton’s last-gasp winner.

But going into tonight’s rematch at home to high-flying Batley (8pm), the 28-year-old centre has bagged only one himself, and getting on the scoresheet more often is one way in which he wants to repay the faith shown in him by boss Dave Woods and help to make up for the absence of broken thumb victim Thorman.

“I’ve played okay but I feel there’s more to come,” said Ford of his own form. “I’ve not played much over the last two years so it’s taken a while to get up to match fitness and get used to new players.

“My last three or four games have been okay, but I think there’s another yard of pace in there and a bit more fitness towards the back end of games. Defensively I’ve been a bit sloppy, but I’m working hard on it.”

Ford scored 48 tries in 77 appearances for Sheffield before having a nine-match spell in Super League with Castleford in 2008 and moving on to Widnes.

He notched four tries on his Vikings debut in February 2010 but his season was dogged by injury and, having struggled to get a regular spot this year, he – along with half-back Anthony Thackeray – was loaned to the Knights for the rest of the season.

He told The Press he would “definitely consider” staying next year if terms were amenable, and added: “I’ve been enjoying it.

“I like Dave Woods as a coach and feel I’m finding some form. Sometimes as a player you like coaches who stick by you, and Dave and Chris Thorman (player/assistant-coach) stood by me when I lacked match-fitness to see me through that rough period and hopefully hit form at the back end of the season.”

As for his try-scoring, he joked: “My previous record at Sheffield was quite prolific, but I keep having to pass the ball to other people here. But as long as the team is scoring tries and getting results, that’s the main thing. It’s doesn’t matter to me who scores, whether it’s me, Thacks, Jonny Presley, Sutts or whoever.”

York crashed 50-16 at Batley in May, but, after getting to within four points of Widnes two outings ago having lost 76-12 to them earlier this term, Ford hopes a similar turnaround tonight can reap more reward against the surprise title contenders.

“We didn’t give a performance anywhere near what we’re capable of,” he said of the match at Mount Pleasant. “We let ourselves down so have to put that right.

“Batley are not in a false position. They deserve to be there and it will be real tough. But we’ve progressed since we last played them and there’s more to come.”

Ford has recently played in between second-row Matt Garside and winger Sutton, and the partnership is improving.

“They’re two promising young players,” said Ford. “Matt is a good athlete with good footwork. Sutts is keen and a good finisher.

“They’re young players though so come up with errors – all players do – but the good thing about these two is that it doesn’t affect them mentally. They’ll always do something good straight after – they don’t go into their shells. Hopefully we can continue to attack well down the left and defend well too.”