HUDDERSFIELD coach Jon Sharp has paid York City Knights the ultimate compliment ahead of Sunday's Powergen Challenge Cup quarter-final - by doing more homework on the Knights than on any of the Giants' Super League rivals.

On top of that, Sharp is likely to field a similar side to that which battled so gamely against world champions Bradford last week rather than throw in some kids for a game everyone expects the Giants to walk.

The Huddersfield boss did admit York at home was the draw they wanted, but played down any talk of a big win and instead declared: "If we beat York by a point, I will be happy with that."

Speaking to the Evening Press, he said: "We're showing York a lot of respect. I've done the same kind of work on them as with every team. In fact I've probably spent more time looking at York because we're not as aware of their players and what they do as we are Super League clubs.

"Whereas in general you have a rough idea of what you'll come up against, York is a totally different challenge for us.

"We've had extra tapes sent in and I've spent extra hours coming up to speed on what they do."

As for talk of a trouncing, Sharp - whose side were unbeaten this season before that Bradford loss - said: "It would be rude to the York boys, to Richard Agar (coach) and to Steve Ferres (chief executive) for me to say we would put loads of points past them. It would be big-headed and I've got too much respect for the people at that club.

"I try to keep myself and my players isolated from that kind of talk. If you start to read your own publicity, you'll fall in love with yourselves and miss things you would not normally miss."

He added: "I would be a liar if I said it wasn't the draw we wanted.

"A home tie was the first thing we were looking for, then to get non-Super League opposition. But that's without being rude or putting York down.

"They're not a bad side. Richard Agar has done well in not a lot of time and Steve Ferres has been doing a tremendous job. I know both blokes well."

The Evening Press reported yesterday how Sharp and Agar grew up together in Featherstone, and the duo have since returned to their old street to turn back the clock for the television cameras. But Sharp says old friendships won't affect his club's preparations.

"To be running down that street passing a ball to each other 20-odd years later, with camera crews filming it, was very surreal, but good fun," he said.

"Richard is probably closer to my youngest brother than me but Featherstone is a tight-knit community and we've been close for a long time.

"However, I can't allow sentiment or anything like that to do him any favours.

"The build-up to the match has been great. It's a nice story, him and I being old mates, and it's been good for York and for us as well that we're gaining added column inches that a game of this magnitude would not normally get.

"I'm pleased in that regard but I can't allow it to distract us from our aims."

Huddersfield were famously knocked out of the Cup by York's National League Two rivals, Hunslet, last year. But Sharp, who took over in the closed season, is sure his side won't be complacent this time.

"The Hunslet game for me has been great because 75 per cent of the people involved in that are still here," he explained.

"The players went through that and felt the loss and they've still got the bitter taste in their mouths.

"On top of that, with this being a quarter-final, I think complacency is not an issue for us.

"It's about consistency. I thought we played well against Bradford and the test for us now is to maintain consistency."

Updated: 10:41 Thursday, March 25, 2004