Applegarth reiterates York Knights' desire for play-off spot

The Knights currently sit fourth as one of three teams on 28 points, but face a tough test in fellow top six hopefuls Featherstone Rovers in their final regular season match at the LNER Community Stadium on Sunday (3pm).

Victory is likely to bring with it a home Play-off Eliminator, and with Sheffield Eagles and Widnes Vikings concluding their campaigns against bottom-four sides Barrow Raiders and Dewsbury Rams, defeat could see either team slip out of the top six altogether.

Last Friday’s 26-24 victory at Sheffield was crucial in maintaining York’s play-off hopes, but Applegarth conceded that it was not a match that his side would have won earlier in the season.

“If you’d have gone back even a few months we’d have lost that game,” he told The Press.

“It was great to see the character and the resolve from the lads to get them through in the end.”

A12-10 win at Widnes earlier this month moved the Knights into the play-off places for the first time, and they have not dropped out since.

They are in pole position to secure a home Eliminator, but Applegarth is taking nothing for granted against a Featherstone side coached by former York boss James Ford, who he worked with at Wakefield Trinity last season.

But just what has changed York from a side flirting with relegation as recently as June to one now with a real chance of making the top six?

“I think now we’re just getting that bit of grit about us,” the head coach explained.

“We’ve got a goal and a burning desire to get into those play-offs and you could see on Friday how much that game meant to them, and making sure that it came down to Sunday and that it was in their hands.

“If we’d have lost on Friday, that wouldn’t have been the case.

“They managed to do that, and now it’s down to us controlling what we can control.

“If you win, you’re going to get that home play-off, and that’s completely in our hands.

“We can’t blame anyone but ourselves if we don’t achieve our goal.”