YORK City Knights have evidently backed their current squad to get them out of relegation peril ahead of tomorrow’s Championship trip to champions Halifax.

Transfer deadline day passed yesterday without any new blood coming into Huntington Stadium, although three players have left – Mark Barlow, Paul Stamp and Jack Aldous.

Boss Dave Woods has instead concentrated on getting his charges ready for tomorrow’s vital encounter, saying the best way for them to overcome the pressure of their relegation battle is to focus on doing individual jobs well and play with confidence.

Woods himself has now received a formal offer to continue as head coach next season, but a decision is unlikely to be made until after tomorrow’s game (3pm kick-off).

Several offers have also gone out to members of the current squad, and Woods says the fact his troops are playing for contracts or improved deals can only help.

“A few are feeling a bit of pressure (of the relegation scrap) but some are also playing for contracts or to put themselves on show. It’s a good thing,” said Woods, who reiterated there was more pressure on the two clubs below them, Hunslet and Dewsbury.

“The biggest pressure is what the players put on themselves to play well. We’re not putting pressure on.”

Asked if tomorrow’s match was the most important of the year as they look to bounce back from the loss to Toulouse, he said: “We take them all as important. It’s important we get back on track and back to playing how we were playing a few weeks ago, rather than that last performance.

“We just want a real good start and to be positive and confident.

“If you’re playing well and with confidence you don’t worry about pressure.

“We want to enjoy it and get out there and do our best.

“We will stress to them we need to go out there and look after ourselves. If we do that, we’ll get something out of it.”

Woods is set to recall big Brett Waller in place of prop Aldous, whose one-month loan spell from Hull has ended. Steve Lewis and Jack Stearman are also added to the team that lost to Toulouse, with one set to replace young Ed Smith, who is out with a knee injury picked up in the reserves.

Halifax, cruelly beaten at the death of the Northern Rail Cup final last Sunday by the league’s joint leaders Leigh, have been boosted as Frank Watene avoided suspension at his Rugby Football League disciplinary hearing.

Woods also reckons that cup final loss will not have a negative effect on Matt Calland’s men as they chase the victories needed to break into the play-off zone.

Calland has warned his side “don’t have time to dwell on” last week’s agony, and Woods said: “They’re still thinking they can make the semi-finals and they need to do well.

“It will be tough. They’ve been up and down this year but they’ve got quality across the park. I think they’ll be all right after last week. They will come out firing and we need to take them on and hopefully dent a bit of their spirit.”

Meanwhile, Woods believes Barlow had been a victim of his own utility value at York, having played in several positions without nailing down a spot.

The 27-year-old former Batley player has joined relegation rivals Dewsbury after being released from his Huntington Stadium contract. He played 12 times for York, six as a substitute, scoring six tries and two conversions.

Woods said: “His enthusiasm was tremendous and when he played he did a good job but he was a victim of his own circumstance. It’s a shame he left but he wanted regular first-grade and we couldn’t guarantee that.”

Asked if he was worried Barlow could help Dewsbury to leapfrog York, Woods added: “If he does well, that’s great, but our destiny is in our hands.”

Reserve hooker Stamp has been allowed to go to Gateshead on loan until the end of the season.

Danny Wilson and Mike Mitchell were also set to extend their loan spells at the Championship One strugglers until the end of term.

Halifax: from Greenwood, White, Haley, Goddard, Worrincy, D Jones, Black, Gannon, Beswick, Cherryholme, P Smith, Bannister, Fairbank, Nash, Aizue, Penkywicz, S Barlow, Watene.

Knights (probable): Bush, Tuffour, Esders, Ford, Sutton, Presley, Thackeray, Benson, Lee, Freer, Straugheir, Garside, Clarke. Subs from Haynes, B Jones, Waller, Lewis, Stearman.

Referee: Chris Leatherbarrow (St Helens).