LET'S go out and enjoy the day. That was the message from skipper supreme Lee Jackson on the eve of York City Knights' eagerly-awaited Arriva Trains Cup semi-final.

The Knights visit Hull Kingston Rovers on Sunday (ko 3pm) vying for a place in a major final in only their second-ever season, and, with a massive contingent of York fans expected to make the trip to Craven Park, Jackson has urged his team-mates - and the supporters - to relish the occasion.

"We've had some unlucky injuries lately but we will pull through, and I just want the boys to enjoy the occasion and bank it in their memories," the former Great Britain international told the Evening Press.

"It can either be a good day or a sad day for everybody but either way it's a big day out. Hopefully it will be a good day."

He added: "Reaching the final would be a big achievement for the club, but the last couple of years have been a good achievement. It all started from last year and we've progressed as a club and that's what it is all about."

That achievement included a run to the quarter-finals of this season's Powergen Challenge Cup and Jackson reckons that experience will aid the Knights tomorrow.

"We're going quite well in these cup runs," he smiled.

"A lot of the players will be going into this game on the back of the Challenge Cup run, which could help. They went into the Huddersfield (Challenge Cup) quarter-final a bit blind but they know what to expect now as regards the big match atmosphere.

"There's going to be a big crowd there and I hope there will be a big contingent from York. We've been taking quite a few to away games as it is, so hopefully people can get behind us even more."

Rovers have had a confidence trauma recently, with bosses Malcolm Reilly and Martin Hall coming under fire after last week's league loss to Leigh. But they nevertheless remain in the play-off places in the race for Super League status, while the Knights, from a division below, face a player crisis, with only 16 available on the eve of the match.

Rovers therefore go into the game as favourites, and Jackson reckons the Knights will have to be at their best to win.

"At the end of the day, Rovers are a good side," said the 35-year-old, who was a Robins fan as a boy and still lives in Hull.

"They're going through a bad patch - every team goes through it - but they will be up for it without a doubt. It's a chance to get to a cup final and if that's not an incentive I don't know what is."

He added: "We're going to have to play better than last week (against London Skolars) and the week before (against Dewsbury).

"Although we won those games there was a lot of room for improvement and we'll need to play well to win."

Updated: 09:57 Saturday, June 26, 2004