YORK City Knights coach Mick Cook did not let his side's stirring late comeback disguise the fact improvements are needed.

The Knights fought back from 20-6 down with 11 minutes remaining to draw 20-20 with Featherstone at Huntington Stadium yesterday thanks to three tries in five blistering minutes.

They even had the chance to snatch the Northern Rail Cup points at the death and avenge last week's 21-20 loss away to Rovers, but it was not to be and the draw means the Knights are now rank outsiders to progress to the knockout stages of a competition in which they reached the semi-finals last year.

"We needed to win to have a chance of progressing," mused Cook, unsure whether to be more disappointed with yesterday's draw or the previous week's defeat.

"It was very loose. Both sides in the first half made a lot of mistakes. After good approach play individual mistakes prevented us from getting any continuity to our play.

"We found energy at the back end of the game but we need to start games like that and be more clinical and make the most of opportunities rather than throw them down the kitchen sink.

"To play at that level (at the end of the game) for 80 minutes would be a fair ask for any side, but we had a lot of breaks in the game but took nothing from them.

"We're making things happen but failing at the back end and it's costing us on the scoreboard.

"The amount of ball we turned over, particularly in the first half but also in the second half, was too much. You can't afford to do that."

Cook endured mixed joy on the injury front too. Players' Player of the Year Scott Rhodes came through his first match of the campaign okay after off-season shoulder surgery - indeed he was named man of the match after coming off the bench - but utility star Jonny Liddell had to be helped from the field in the first half with what is feared to be knee ligament damage.

Utility back Chris Ross also suffered a dead leg but his injury is not thought to be serious, while captain Chris Levy suffered a bad gash on the leg, which Cook described as "like a dog had bitten him".

As for Rhodes, the Knights boss said: "It was good to see him back out there. He looked quite sharp considering he's been out for a while. It was a real positive for him and I'm really pleased. I thought he had some good involvement."

A late refereeing decision denied the Knights the chance of a drop goal attempt, or even a try, to win the match when Whitehaven official Steve Nicholson penalised Mark Cain for an incorrect play-the-ball ten yards from the Featherstone posts. But Cook said: "There are no complaints about that."

Updated: 11:12 Monday, March 07, 2005