YORK City Knights boss James Ford has dismissed any favourites tag his side might have this weekend - insisting hosts Rochdale will come out firing.

He also says the controversial postponement of this fixture in March will have no bearing on either team's mindset as they prepare once more to lock horns.

The Hornets sit bottom of the Betfred Championship table after only one win in 11 outings this term. They have shipped an average of 42 points in those matches and last week parted company with player-boss Carl Forster, who had only been appointed in the off-season.

Former Halifax boss and Rochdale fan favourite Matt Calland has since taken over and, while he watched on as they fell 56-10 at home to Featherstone last Sunday, he has already begun a minor revolution with players coming in and going out.

The Knights, conversely, are riding high in joint-third on points after raising plenty of eyebrows since their promotion from League One last year.

Ford also holds something of an Indian sign over the Hornets, having won all five meetings between the clubs since taking the reins at York in 2014. Indeed the Lancastrians have not beaten the Knights since 2010.

Asked if that record breeds confidence for this clash, Ford said: "We're always confident. As we've said before, I don't really believe in hoodoos or what-have-you. We take each game as it comes.

"The last four or five results won't give us a head start on Sunday. It starts at 0-0 and we will have to go through the same processes as always."

The Knights have been underdogs for many of this season's matches but the tables are probably turned this weekend.

Ford reasoned: "You could argue that, but we're not really interested in who's favourites

"We've shown this year if you work hard enough you will be in a game and Rochdale will come after us with that mindset.

"Regardless of who's favourites or underdogs, we have to hit our standards otherwise Rochdale are capable of getting us."

The original fixture in March was controversially called off just after its scheduled 3pm kick-off time due to “health and safety concerns” caused by high winds.

Both teams had been kitted out and were waiting to warm-up, but the covers on the pitch - which is owned by Rochdale AFC - were still on and neither set of rugby posts at either end had been put up. More than 300 York fans had made the journey over the Pennines.

Asked if that was extra incentive for his team tomorrow, Ford said: "It had nothing to do with the Rochdale players or I'm led to believe anyone associated with the rugby club.

"It's not put Rochdale in a great position (an earlier match against Dewsbury was also postponed due to bad weather). Matt Calland won't be happy with the amount of fixtures they have to play.

"We're motivated in all of our games. We set little targets through the season and we need to win this one.

"Rochdale will see us as a game they can win and they will come at us. We'll need to make sure our energy levels are up there and our performance is better than against Batley last week."