CRAIG Farrell will enjoy his return to York City Knights action tomorrow happy that the pressure is off - for now.

The robust threequarter, who has been out for a month with a hamstring strain, knows a different kind of stress will return next week when the Knights face Batley in National League One.

But while Huddersfield's Super League stars, like Robbie Paul and Michael De Vere, are sure to provide tougher opposition in the Challenge Cup fifth round tomorrow, Farrell (pictured) reckons it is a nice one with which to get back in the groove.

"It's a very tough match," said the 24-year-old. "They're going to be quick and powerful, and they're playing well.

"But it's good in the way there's no pressure. Nobody is expecting anything from us and we can go out and enjoy the occasion, try to play some football and maybe produce a shock or run them close."

Batley leapfrogged the Knights out of the relegation zone last week, and Farrell said: "The cup is a nice break, but realistically the Batley game is more important to us.

"It's imperative we get the two points against them as we don't want to have to make up four points on them.

"But everything this week has been geared towards Huddersfield and when we get this out of the way we'll start looking at Batley."

The Knights last met Huddersfield in the 2004 cup quarter-finals, losing 50-12. The current team could have set a goal of improving on that result, but Farrell - whose first spell with the club came later on in 2004 - said: "Nobody has mentioned it. That team was completely different. Our motivation is to play as well as possible and give it our best shot and see where that takes us."

Boss Mick Cook said his players should revel in the occasion.

"Going to an in-form Super League club is a tough ask for us," he said. "They broke St Helens' winning run and beat Salford, a team knocking around the top four, last week.

"We just need to go and play and enjoy the game. All I'm bothered about is getting the performance right and if we get things in place we can cause most teams problems.

"There's no pressure on us. We just want to put on a good performance and if we do that we'll walk out of there proud."

As reported in yesterday's Press, Rob Spicer has joined the injured list while Peter Fox, Austin Buchanan and Jamaine Wray are cup-tied.

Farrell is set to replace Spicer at centre, while Cook also adds fit-again Joe Helme, fellow prop Dean O'Loughlin, winger Paul Clarke, half-back Paul Thorman and second-row John Smith to his squad.

Huddersfield's Keith Mason is cup-tied but the Giants are unlikely to make many changes to a team on a roll. Chris Nero and Stephen Wild face late checks, but captain Chris Thorman - brother of York's Paul - is still out with a broken thumb.

The quarter-final draw will be made on BBC Breakfast TV at 7.30am on Monday.

Updated: 13:14 Saturday, May 20, 2006