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Two Knights put the clampdown on a home raider

PLAYER-BOSS Paul March says his York City Knights can yet be a force to be reckoned with in Co-operative National League Two - once they break off their mental shackles.

March endured another double blow yesterday as he suffered a suspected torn right calf in the first minute of the Knights' 26-8 defeat at Barrow Raiders.

It means he has yet to finish a game since signing from Wakefield, and his side have yet to taste victory in nine matches.

Fellow playmaker Danny Ratcliffe also limped off, while back-rower Ryan Esders missed the match with a shoulder injury.

But half-back March believes they have the ability to kick-start their season once they regain confidence.

"I think it's all mental," he said of the Knights' current situation.

"With the group of lads we've got - they're there because we want them to be there. They're very skilful. It comes down to attitude and confidence.

"Once we do have a win or we do put in that 80-minute performance, I think we will kick on from there.

"Until we do have a performance or a win, we're going to be low. It's going to be hard to pick the lads up.

"With each game if we're not getting the results, players and everybody involved with York worries when are we going to get a win'?

"But once we do, confidence will be high and we can kick on from there."

Just like in their loss to Gateshead on Good Friday, in the opening game of the NL2 campaign, York performed only for one half. They fell 26-0 down a minute before the break, before winning the second half.

March said he was very gutted to suffer defeat as well as another injury, following his broken hand in pre-season, having only made his competitive debut on Friday.

"I had high expectations of yesterday and to only last a few minutes was gutting," he said.

"I think we lacked a bit of direction after I went off. In the first half we were poor - we carried on from where we had left off against Gateshead.

"But credit to the lads, we turned it around in the second half and we showed how we can compete."

Added March, "All we need to do is play for the full 80 minutes rather than 40 minutes.

"Individual errors cost us in the first half. We gave them a head start. But we got positives in the second half. We turned things round a bit and we nilled them on the scoreboard."

Knights assistant-boss James Ratcliffe was trying to stay positive.

"I'm a very positive person and I try to put that across to the players," he said.

"It is frustrating that you do some things good one week and, the week after, the things you have worked on come good but the things that were good the week before go bad again.

"It's a bit like spinning plates. You try to keep all the plates spinning at the same time. We've just got to get quicker with our spinning and put a complete performance together.

"I'm confident it will come good. There are a lot of good players in there. They're pretty disappointed with what they came up with in the first half.

"But rugby league is a character game and they've shown character in the second half.

"They had a look at themselves and they showed a bit of inner pride and a bit of pride in the jersey."

9:12am Tuesday 25th March 2008

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