YORK City Knights’ young guns are “really looking forward” to their chance to put the record straight against Widnes.

That was the message from head coach Dave Woods as he awaited the Vikings’ arrival at Huntington Stadium tomorrow (3pm), two months after they walloped the Knights 76-12 in the reverse Championship fixture.

The Super League-bound Cestrians have since enjoyed mixed fortunes as they gear up for their return to the top flight, currently lying sixth despite their grand final intentions. And Woods believes his men, though embroiled in a relegation battle, have shown enough signs they can overturn the embarrassment they suffered at the Halton Stadium.

“There were different circumstances last time,” said Woods.

“They’d just been given their Super League licence and came through all that stuff.

“We’re on more of an even keel now, and they’re coming to us on our terms and on our ground.

“The players are really looking forward to this one. I think they’re realising if we do control the ball a bit better, then we can get results. They’re looking forward to doing that rather than finding they’re forcing their hand a little bit.”

Asked if his charges had a point to prove, Woods said: “We just want to make sure we get stuck into them early on, and get into the arm wrestle like we have in the last couple of weeks. If we can do that, we can get a result.”

Those last two weeks have seen the Knights lose to the top two, Leigh and Featherstone, and be unfortunate to gain no more than a single bonus point.

Woods has named the same 17 that fell away at Featherstone after looking on course for at least a bonus, but has added prop Brett Waller and utility men Steve Lewis and Mark Barlow to a provisional 20-man squad. The only injury doubt is Matt Garside, whose ankle problem forced him to pull out halfway through training on Thursday night.

This means half-back Anthony Thackeray and centre James Ford will play against the club that let them go shortly after getting their Super League franchise. Thackeray scored two tries as substitute in that April match against the Knights, though Ford did not play.

Woods added: “Both of them want to prove a point to them. They’re both playing pretty decent stuff and I’m sure they’ll go out full of confidence.”

Woods, though, was well aware of Widnes’ threat. The Vikings have had a week off following their sparkling 42-14 win over fifth-placed Barrow on May 26 and have no new injuries concerns to add to long-term absentees Gareth Haggerty, Danny Craven and Danny Hulme, although dual-registered trio Dom Crosby, Logan Tomkins and Joe Mellor might be wanted by parent club Wigan depending on how their representative players came through last night’s England v Exiles match.

Woods said: “They’ve got plenty of experience and a lot of good players – but so have we really.

“We haven’t got that experience in our side but we’ve got blokes who want to get stuck in and have a dig.”

The recent watchword at Huntington Stadium has been one of “sticking together”, and Woods reiterated the point, even after seeing his side fall to the foot of the table.

He added: “We have to work hard for each other. That’s been the pleasing thing about it – that they’ve been doing that.”

Knights: from Bush, Haynes, Sutton, Ford, Smith, Thorman, Thackeray, Freer, Lee, Benson, Straugheir, Garside, Clarke, Stearman, Esders, Presley, Jones, Waller, Lewis, Barlow.

Widnes (possible): Owens, Flynn, Ropati, Tyrer, Penny, I’Anson, Mellor, Pickersgill, Coyle, Kavanagh, Finnigan, Leuluai, Allen. Subs: Varkulis, Gardner, Tomkins, Crosby.

Referee: Craig Halloran (Dewsbury).