LOCAL hero Darren Callaghan reckons York City Knights' Challenge Cup run and their second half display against Huddersfield has set them up well for the campaign to come.

The Knights, beaten 50-12 by the Super League outfit on Sunday, quickly return to action as they face Gateshead Thunder in a rearranged Arriva Trains National League Cup cross-section tie at Bootham Crescent tomorrow (KO 8pm).

They have a decent chance of progressing to the knockout stages of that competition, while their main priority, the National League Two campaign, kicks off at Easter. And Callaghan said confidence was up.

"We did not touch them (Huddersfield) in the first 30 minutes but the second half was much better and we will take that on to Wednesday," he told the Evening Press.

"The first half-hour they just blitzed us and we did not work well in defence, but in the second half we rallied and that was good.

"We will concentrate on the Arriva Trains Cup now and then the main one is Chorley on Bank Holiday Monday (April 12) in the league.

"At the end of the day we enjoyed it (at Huddersfield) and the crowd went well again and we can look to tomorrow now and hopefully get back to winning ways."

He joked: "We've had two defeats on the trot - we will be losing the fans if we're not careful."

Callaghan, who has already praised the Knights' support, saying they created a really good atmosphere at the McAlpine Stadium, added: "They got behind us and this does give you a gee up."

BARLA Great Britain international Neil Mears has reportedly severed ties with the Knights having signed trialist forms with Hunslet Hawks - without York coach Richard Agar knowing about it.

The prop played three times for York at the end of last season and was expected to fight for a place this year, but Agar told the Evening Press: "It appears he's left.

"I would have thought he would have had the courtesy to let us know."

Mears had hoped to be involved in the GB amateur Lions' tour to Russia and Australia this summer, but saw his chances curtailed by injury and he did not get selected for the squad.

He had attended some training sessions with York, but needed to improve his fitness and went back to his amateur club Normanton Knights.

Agar added: "To be honest, the way our forwards have been going he would be a fair way off getting a start with us so he might have left to get some first-team football."

Former York player Gareth Stephens has turned down a move to the Knights' opponents tomorrow night, Gateshead, after failing to agree personal terms with the Tynesiders.

The experienced half-back watched the Thunder's 24-24 ATC draw with Workington last week and had been expected to sign.

The Evening Press believes Bootham Crescent's seated Main Stand and the standing-only David Longhurst Stand (the Shippo End) will be open for tomorrow's Arriva Trains Cup game.

York City season ticket holders will be able to gain admission to tomorrow's match for a cut-price £5 if they show their season tickets to the Bootham Crescent main ticket office before the game in exchange for a discount voucher.

Updated: 10:51 Tuesday, March 30, 2004