Coach Richard Agar will take his York City Knights into battle against Featherstone Rovers for the fourth time in a matter of weeks after the two were drawn again in the Arriva Trains Cup quarter-final play-offs last night.

The two sides have already met twice this season in the Arriva Trains Cup Yorkshire group and once in the Powergen Challenge Cup, with the Knights emerging victorious on each occasion.

They will now meet again at Huntington Stadium on Sunday, April 25 for a chance to make the quarter-final proper stage of the Arriva Trains Cup.

And despite the familiar match up against Fev, Agar believes his side could make it four in a row.

He said: "It is dja vu and from our point of view, we would have liked someone different but you get what you're given and you get on with it.

"When there's only six teams in the draw, and five we could be drawn against, you know there is a big chance you are going to get them.

"Having said that, it's probably the first time we'll go into the game as slight favourites.

"We were the underdogs in the other three for various reasons, but this time we will be seen as having a slight advantage, so that will offer up a new challenge for us."

The fixture will provide Agar, Nathan Graham and Chris Langley with another reunion with their former club. And Agar will be hoping to make the last three meetings count.

"Our knowledge of them should be pretty good now and as preparation for me, it makes it fairly easy to get the information together because we have played them that many times in the space of a few weeks," he said. "So from that perspective, we are fully aware of what they can do and that should give us a slight advantage.

"The other point of view is the positive mental aspect because we have this winning record against them, although at the same time, we can't afford to get complacent."

Added Agar: "And then obviously there's the home advantage.

"When the draw was made it was met by a few moans and groans from the lads. But at least we are at home and we've played them three times and got the results so we know what we have to do."

The match will mean a second visit to Huntington Stadium in less than two months following the 18-16 win in the group game and it is hoped the fans will still be out in force as the Knights attempt to make it four out of four against the National League One club.

Agar added: "We have been in the same group as them, yet we have been drawn against them in the play-offs and I don't know if that's a wise thing - for the fans as much as anyone else.

"But then again it's a cold draw so there's nothing you can do about it.

"Every game's been a really tough, hard, close game and could have gone either way. We realise that we are going to have to perform to beat them again."

Elsewhere in the draw, Keighley make the long journey to Barrow - a trip that was being dreaded by Knights' fans - while Doncaster host Oldham in an all-National One tie.

The winners of the single leg play-offs will go forward into the main quarter-final draw to be paired with either Whitehaven, Hull KR, Leigh, Batley or Halifax. Those ties will be played on June 6.

Updated: 10:20 Thursday, April 15, 2004