York City Knights coach Richard Agar reckons tonight's history-making excursion to Bootham Crescent has come just at the right time.

The Knights face Gateshead Thunder (ko 8pm) in a rearranged Arriva Trains Cup group game which has had to be switched to York City FC's ground as Huntington Stadium was unavailable.

It is the first time York's rugby league club have played at Bootham Crescent for 15 years, and it is their first return to the city centre since leaving the old club left their Clarence Street base in 1989.

The match itself was rearranged from Sunday gone due to the club's run to the last eight of the Powergen Challenge Cup, and Agar believes the added excitement due to the arena will help to gee up his charges following the quarter-final defeat at Huddersfield on Sunday.

"It gives us a lift," he told the Evening Press. "It's probably not the most attractive fixture in the rugby league calendar but after the sort of run we've had it might give us a bit of added excitement to the fixture.

"It's a great surface and the timing of it has been excellent."

Agar has also been boosted by the return of several first-teamers.

New dad Dan Briggs and winger Chris Smith remain doubtful with knee problems, but Aaron Wood returns from suspension and Mick Ramsden and Rob Kama are back in contention after injury. Cup-tied trio Tom Andrews, Ryan Benjefield and Andy Burland could also return.

Agar was to leave it late before deciding on his line-up but is likely to bring back Andrews and Benjefield while he could also add more fresh legs.

"It's a great boost to have these players back and I hope it reflects on the way we perform," he said.

"I'm expecting us to win and win well. That's no disrespect to Gateshead but we should have too much quality for them. It will be interesting to see how we bounce back.

"We've lost two on the trot now and that's no good. We need to get back to winning ways and it's perhaps ideal that we're straight back into it after Sunday.

"I would say we need to win two out of our three remaining group games to qualify - and probably win them well - so it's important we do well tonight."

Gateshead, who picked up their first Arriva Trains Cup point of the season in their last match ten days ago, name a 19-man squad for the trip, with coach Seamus McCallion hoping to build on the 24-24 draw with Workington Town.

McCallion said: "We're on the turnaround and we'll be buzzing at York."

Updated: 11:06 Wednesday, March 31, 2004