Underbank Rangers will be looking to build on their highly-encouraging performance at National Conference League Second Division leaders Featherstone Lions when they host Bradford Dudley Hill tomorrow.
Had Bank shown a more clinical edge, they could have been celebrating success at the home of the title-chasers in their last fixture a fortnight ago.
Instead, they paid the price for wasting several good opportunities and were left to reflect on a 36-24 defeat.
But head coach Richard Knight knows if his side shows the same intensity and desire as they did against the Lions and back it up by taking their chances this weekend, then Dudley Hill will find it a tough trip to The Cross.
“There were a lot of positives to come out of that Featherstone performance,” said Knight.
“They’re looking in a very strong position to finish top, but we made things really hard for them and came away feeling bitterly disappointed we didn’t win.
“Right from the start, the boys adopted the right sort of approach to the contest and know that if they’d been a bit more clinical we could have been celebrating what would have been a great win.
“And we need to show that same intensity and desire to make sure we beat Dudley Hill this weekend.
“We might not be up against the leaders this weekend, but if we want to finish in the top four we can’t afford to be losing at home to teams like Dudley Hill, so the stakes are just as high for us this week as they were at Featherstone the other week.
“This is another vitally important game for us.”
Even though there was a lot to admire in the Rangers’ display the last time out, Knight is still making changes for the visit of their West Yorkshire rivals.
There will be two new wingers in the shape of powerful duo Michael Lang and Tom Stringer, while second-row forward Christian Summers makes his debut on the bench during a break from his studies at Chester University.
But his call-up has come about because of the injuries to fellow forwards Michael Murphy and Steven Berry, who are both ruled out with calf injuries.
