A QUICK look at the fixtures remaining in the relegation run-in and it is easy to get a headache trying to work out the different permutations.

That must at least partly be the reason York City Knights boss Gary Thornton insists his side must keep their destiny in their own hands.

Thornton’s men currently sit two places but only one point above the drop zone, with the bottom four of Hunslet, Swinton, Barrow and York separated by only two points. That amounts to one win, draw, or even a bonus point, between safety and the drop.

The relegation battle seems to be between that quartet, but fifth-bottom Keighley are not out of the woods either, especially looking at their remaining fixtures.

The Cougars have to make three trips to Cumbria – that's not too far a journey for them but Whitehaven, Workington and Barrow are generally stronger at home – and face three difficult assignments on their own turf all against top-five sides.

Of the other four, it is difficult to say who has the easiest or hardest run-in.

Basement side Hunslet certainly have the most difficult finale on paper but by then their last two opponents, table-topping Sheffield and Featherstone, might take feet off the gas ahead of the play-offs.

The Hawks will still target tomorrow’s match at Dewsbury as a must-win, though, to get a leg up on the four teams above them.

The two most key games then involve the Knights – with consecutive six-pointers against Swinton and the Hawks, which could make or break their season.

Swinton have a second six-pointer, too, against Barrow, who host Keighley on the last day of the season.

Trying to work out how the table might look by that first weekend in September is too difficult.

However, the Knights will be hoping Batley – barring their trip to Keighley tomorrow – continue on their freefall as they may well need to beat them in their last match to stay up.

A point tomorrow and victory in their six-pointers will ease the pressure, but the Knights should certainly not rely on results elsewhere helping them out – especially over that final weekend.

It will not have gone unnoticed at Huntington Stadium that Keighley and Whitehaven, who face Barrow and Swinton respectively on the last day of term, are now bossed by former Knights coaches who both left Huntington Stadium in acrimonious circumstances.

Whitehaven are presently six points to the good in the play-off zone so may not have much to play for come September 1 and may want to rest players for the knockouts.

What cannot be doubted is that none of this is good for York fans'

hearts. Still, have a look at Super League – rugby league without relegation just isn’t the same. Bring on the fun.

 

THE overhaul in the coaching ranks at Featherstone last week proved most unpopular for Swinton’s relegation rivals.

Ryan Sheridan departed as interim boss, which must have had an effect on the title-chasers as they lost to the Lions, then bottom of the pile.

Former Great Britain and St Helens half-back Sean Long has since been installed as head coach, the third this season for Rovers, Daryl Powell having begun the campaign before taking over at Castleford.

Of more pertinence to the teams in the relegation mix, the three surprise points for Swinton lifted them off the bottom and made things even closer among the bottom four.

 

PUTTING the relegation battle into perspective, meanwhile, was the news that came out of Derwent Park, Barrow this week.

Darren Holt, the boss of the Knights’ relegation rivals, has had a tumour removed after being diagnosed with cancer.

The 36-year-old, who made 305 appearances for the Raiders and is the club’s record points scorer, is hopeful of making a return to firstteam duties this month.

But in the meantime has handed coaching responsibilities to assistants Phil Atkinson and Dean Marwood.

 

RELEGATION run in

Keighley (27 points)
August 4: Batley, home
August 11: Whitehaven, away
August 14: Workington, away
August 18: Featherstone, home
August 22: Halifax, home
September 1: Barrow, away

Knights (24 points)
August 4: Sheffield, home
August 8: Swinton, away
August 18: Hunslet, home
August 22: Workington, away
August 27*: Doncaster, away
September 1: Batley, home
*provisional date

Barrow (24 points)
August 4: Halifax, home
August 11: Batley, away
August 18: Workington, home
August 22: Swinton, away
September 1: Keighley, home

Swinton (23 points)
August 4: Leigh, away
August 8: York, home
August 18: Doncaster, away
August 22: Barrow, home
September 1: Whitehaven

Hunslet (22 points)
August 4: Dewsbury, away
August 11: Workington, home
August 18: York, away
August 22: Sheffield, away
September 1: Featherstone, home