COACH Dean Robinson today urged "don't write us off" after York Rugby League Club were handed a daunting Swinton Lions sortie in the Silk Cut Challenge Cup fourth round.
The Wasps boss was relieved to have avoided the four surviving amateur clubs in last night's draw and was confident of reaching the fifth round for the first time in three years.
Robinson will have the opportunity of watching the Lions open their first division campaign at Keighley Cougars on Sunday before the fourth round tie at Gigg Lane, Bury, on Sunday, February 15.
"We have the luxury of watching them play Keighley this Sunday, which we will be doing. They have not got that chance to actually see us in action," he said.
"Hopefully, we will be able to spring a few surprises for them. We will take the game from there and develop a game plan to beat them. We will go there with confidence. It is a pity it is not at the stadium. It is a bit of a trek for our supporters."
However, Robinson admitted the club would need to overcome their appalling away form - just one win from 15 trips last term - in order to progress in the competition.
"I inherited a problem with a York side which has manifested itself over a number of seasons. The away form was diabolical. It is something I wanted to address," said Robinson.
"There are two major reasons, one was personnel and a positive attitude that was lacking, and the other was that under contract payments people were being rewarded too much for losing.
"I have addressed both those problems. The 17 players I pick will know that they are there to do a job of work, with the right attitude. If we do not get a result, there is no losing money."
The Wasps squad will go into the Lions' den with the words "remember Widnes Vikings" ringing in their ears.
York produced a superb performance against all the odds to take the Vikings to extra time in last year's Silk Cut Plate competition.
Said Robinson: "I will remind the players of Widnes. We were totally written off on the way to Widnes. We prepared well and, but for a dubious decision in extra time, we could have come away with a result."
The tie of the fourth round pitched Leeds Rhinos against their Yorkshire rivals Castleford Tigers at Headingley, while another all Super League clash sees Halifax Blue Sox entertain Huddersfield Giants.
The Leeds v Cas match seems certain to be televised live by BBC 1.
Rochdale Hornets, and close season signing from York Peter Fitzgerald, entertain Super League champions Bradford Bulls.
Meanwhile, Wasps forward Stuart Flowers may be struggling to be fit for the fourth round tie after his thigh injury flared up in the run up to the third round defeat of Norland.
The Wasps are planning to send the player for a scan after the injury failed to respond to treatment.
Said Robinson: "We do not know if it is the dead leg or something more permanent there. It is not rapidly responding. It looked as if it was but we were doing our final preparations on Friday and it blew up."
Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.
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