Opportunity knocks for Acorn ace Darren.

York Wasps Rugby League Club have turned to the local amateur scene as they bid to boost their depleted squad.

Coach Lee Crooks has snapped up 30-year-old Darren Crake from neighbouring York Acorn ahead of tomorrow's clash with Sheffield Eagles.

And after seven years playing in the National Conference League, the York-born forward, who has followed the Wasps' fortunes all his life, will finally get a crack at the Northern Ford Premiership.

Crake has signed triallist forms and goes straight into the Wasps squad to take on the Eagles at the Huntington Stadium (3pm).

Whether he will play a large part of the game is not yet known as Crooks won't name his line-up before knowing who of his dissipated squad will be fit and available on the day.

But the new man was confident he could do the business.

"I'm looking forward to it," he told the Evening Press, admitting he has always wanted to test himself at this level.

"It's difficult to say how I will do but I think I will survive."

Crake attended the Wasps' training session on Thursday and is eager to do well for his new team-mates.

"The session was quite good. It was a bit more intense than I'm used to but I enjoyed it," he said.

"The other players helped me out quite a lot and were all friendly, and I obviously want to play well."

Crake - whose partner April Welch plays for York Acorn Ladies - becomes the latest in a line of triallists to sign at Huntington Stadium, with Crooks vowing to continue scouting the local amateur ranks for more talent, starting today with Heworth's National Conference League game versus Eccles.

The Wasps chief admitted putting Crake in the firing line straight away was not ideal, but said his hand had been forced by injuries and player departures.

His squad is already down to the bare bones and has now been hit by a 'flu bug in the run-up to tomorrow's game.

"I would normally say it's too early to put him in but we are dictated to by circumstances," said Crooks, who conceded the move would also upset Acorn's own preparations for their NCL match at Cottingham.

"It's not the ideal scenario but he wanted to try his hand professionally and we'll see how it goes. He trained alright and is confident he wants to have a go."

Crooks has been boosted by the return to the club of Nathan Pincher after four weeks' absence.

The young utility back joined the Wasps on trial from Castleford at the beginning of the season but left last month saying he was not able to attend training.

He had yet to figure in a Northern Ford Premiership game for the Wasps but his return comes at a good time for Crooks, whose squad has been hit by injuries and departures.

"He's been away for four weeks as he found it hard to get to training, but he's now said he wants to come back," said Crooks.

"He's not been training and I would imagine he's a bit rusty but he goes into the squad."