HEAD coach Mick Cook has refused to make any predictions about York City Knights' title chances on the eve of the Co-op National League Two season - but has stressed the importance of a good start.

Cook's men kick off their campaign away to Gateshead tomorrow, at Newcastle Falcons' Kingston Park, followed by a home match against London Skolars on Monday.

Neither side are expected to be challenging at the top and, as Cook intimated, anything less than maximum points would harm York's hopes of regaining the NL2 crown. But he has told his players not to expect a stroll in the park.

"It's important we get off to a good start, but no games will be easy," he said.

"If you lose too many, you will be struggling to win the competition outright. It will be a very competitive season, but it's difficult to predict what will happen - we haven't played a league game yet.

"You've got to prepare properly and try to keep your squad healthy, and if we can be consistent and play to our potential we will be in with a shout along with some other teams. But I'm not going to make any predictions as you never know what's round the corner."

He added: "It would be good to get off to a good, clean start and when I look at our squad I'm confident we can get the results, but we have to perform well enough to do that."

York comfortably saw off Gateshead twice in the Northern Rail Cup group stage, but Thunder used that competition for development under new coach Dave Woods, and Cook says tomorrow's task will be tougher.

"I watched them against Keighley (two weeks ago) and they're getting better," he explained.

"They were late getting started but their preparations are getting stronger, they're looking more cohesive and I think it will be much tougher than the two Northern Rail matches.

"Dave Woods is spending more time with his players and his coaching methods are coming through."

The Knights' injury problems, already been highlighted in The Press, will see them travel north without key men Rob Spicer, Dan Potter, Ryan MacDonald and Alex Godfrey, among others, as well as loanee half-back Anthony Thackeray, who has been recalled by parent club Hull.

However, Joe Helme is set to return and it is hoped fellow prop Tabua Cakacaka will also be okay to face his former club after his toe injury and a minor back problem.

Centre-cum-second-row Ian Brown is also back from his facial injury, while Steve Grundy and former York Acorn amateurs Adam Endersby and Kyle Palmer are also added to the squad.

Gateshead, being slowly built up by Woods, were hoping club record scorer Robin Peers and prop Dylan Nash would be back after missing the Challenge Cup loss to Salford last week.

However, Woods will be without Aussie half-back Jono Rolfe for three months after he broke a leg in their final Northern Rail Cup match.

Cook added: "He's got players to cover that. They're looking more of a threat and more clinical with their play and they're controlling the ball a lot better. It will be a fair arm wrestle and as always we need to have the right attitude."

Tomorrow's squads
CO-OP NATIONAL LEAGUE TWO

Gateshead v York City Knights (at Kingston Park, Newcastle)Referee: Paul Carr (Castleford)Kick-off: 3pmGATESHEAD: from Thorman, Walton, Stephenson, Williamson, Wilson, Martin, Till, Scott, Clarke, Bradley, Wooden, Hyde, Harris, Metcalfe, Rutherford, Barron, Doherty, Peers, Nash.

KNIGHTS (possible): Rayner, Mapals, Brown, C Spurr, Lingard, Rhodes, Gargan, Sullivan, Wray, Cakacaka, Priestley, Buckley, Esders. Subs from: Elston, Liddell, Williams, Helme, Smith, Grundy, Endersby, Palmer.