YORK City Knights must put this unhappy Easter weekend behind them and focus on kick-starting their promotion challenge.

That was the message from player-coach Paul Broadbent after his side lost 30-24 at Sheffield Eagles yesterday to follow on from the disappointing defeat in Good Friday's National League Two opener against Gateshead.

The Knights had begun the campaign as favourites for promotion after some good results in the Arriva Trains Cup - including two wins over Sheffield -- but they are now point-less after the opening two league matches.

Broadbent told the Evening Press: "We need to put this weekend behind us and try to refocus ourselves on getting ready for the next game, get enthusiastic and get back that feel-good factor that we had three weeks ago.

"I thought the guys showed more commitment and more effort than against Gateshead but we came up with some pretty ordinary options in the second half which caused us to struggle to gain decent field position and on the back of that they managed to get on top of us.

"It's disappointing that we've had a pretty ordinary first weekend in the league. We've got to sit down, readjust ourselves, find out where we're at and kick on to try to get ourselves back to something similar to where we thought we were before the league season started."

The Knights have begun the league campaign laden with injuries but those worries lessened a little with the return of player-assistant coach Graeme Hallas - albeit without being 100 per cent fit - and young forward Carl Stannard, while fit-again full-back Matt Blaymire started for the first time this season.

It is hoped Darren Callaghan and Mark Cain might also be fit again by the time of the Knights' next match, at home to fellow new-boys London Skolars on Sunday, May 4, a week after next weekend's Challenge Cup final.

"There's going to be times in a season when you've got a fully fit squad and times when you're struggling with injuries," added Broadbent.

"We gradually picked up more injuries but that's not an excuse by any means. If you pick a team and you're selected to play you're expected to do a job."

Broadbent added: "At different parts of the season you are going to have some ordinary results which put you under a bit of pressure and cause a few concerns but we've got to stay positive and keep hanging in there."

Updated: 11:48 Tuesday, April 22, 2003