Knights loss disappoints Ramsden

Mick Ramsden has just rejoined the club as reserves assistant coach

York City Knights stand-in coach Mick Ramsden said the 49-36 defeat at Blackpool in Championship One was a "very disappointing performance".

The loss meant the Knights slipped to fourth at the end of a week, in which the coaching team and four players were suspended for the game.

Ramsden told BBC Radio York: "We spoke about all the players pulling together and putting on a good performance.

"I just think it's very disappointing we didn't play to how we wanted to."

He added: "The gameplan that we'd set the players, they didn't really meet what was on the tip sheets.

"Our first-up contact was poor, we didn't seem to get our bodies in front of the ball carrier.

"We didn't stick and bring them to ground and I think we were bust quite a few times and I can't understand why the players looked a little bit lethargic.

"There was a little bit of a lack of urgency. We just couldn't correct it," he added.

Jordan Ross and Mike Mitchell both left the field with injuries and Ramsden said there could be a recurrence of Danny Grimshaw's groin injury.

"Danny said his groin was pulling a little bit and he looked very uneasy so we had to make that change so effectively yes, we lost three players," he said.

The coaching team of James Ratcliffe and Paul March and players David March, Rob Kelly and Paul Hughes will all be available for next week's Northern Rail Nines.

They were suspended last week by the club for a breach of discipline along with Danny Ratcliffe who is suspended until the end of the month.

Ramsden said: "After the turmoil this week, hopefully we can put it to bed now and kick on at training on Tuesday and build up for the next league game in a couple of weeks.

"It's not the ending that we wanted to this week. We really wanted to end it on a high but unfortunately it wasn't to be.

"So we've got to regroup and find our feet again and get back to where we were and hopefully kick on."