York City Knights loose forward Lee Paterson is looking to slay two dragons tomorrow - Swinton's title hopes and his own try-scoring duck.

Paterson, who turned 24 on Tuesday, is the only fit player at the club to have started a match but not to have scored in his 16 appearances. Only Craig Forsyth, who has been on the bench three times, falls into the same bracket.

"I didn't really know about it myself until Lee Jackson said something like you're the only player not to have scored a try except for Rob Kama - and he hasn't played yet.

"Since then, everyone's been getting on my back about it.

"It doesn't particularly bother me as long as the team's winning and I have been close a couple of times.

"I usually score a few - I've scored six tries for the past three years running - but they are becoming harder to get. Saying that, we have beaten a couple of teams by 50plus points so it doesn't really look good that I haven't got one yet."

But despite a team-imposed forfeit looming at the back of his mind, the cool utility, who has flitted between stand-off and loose forward this season, remains focussed on the bigger picture.

"I'll just get on with my own game and if I score, that's a bonus. Not scoring can't be a bad thing because I'm playing every week so it can't be anything related to my performance - it's just the end of season forfeit I'm worried about."

Sunday's trip to Swinton could be the perfect opportunity to open his tally with plenty on the line.

A win for the Knights will keep their noses in front of the pack and will call virtual time on Swinton's hopes by putting them three games behind the leaders.

In contrast, defeat for the Knights would reopen a five-way race for the title and possibly see them nudged off the top if Dewsbury beat Hunslet in tomorrow's other four-pointer.

Said Paterson, who will play despite a chipped bone in his left thumb: "If I get a try at Swinton it will be absolutely fantastic.

"It's a huge game but at the same time, they are all huge games. It's bigger for Swinton. They want to win the league and if they lose they'll be too far back so obviously we will use that against them."

Neil Law is out for Sunday after failing a fitness test on his ankle, with Darren Callaghan returning to the centre in his place.

Second-row James Ward has also been sidelined by a knee injury, giving John Smith a first league game of the season in his favoured position.

Said head coach Mick Cook, "It will be a difficult game for us because they all realise they need the two points for a chance of staying with the main contenders.

"They're going to be a big physical side with a lot of craft and a lot of energy."

Updated: 10:14 Saturday, July 09, 2005