It has turned out to be season to remember for York City Knights, who are dreaming of Super League just one year after winning promotion from League One.

The Knights have been very much the surprise package in the division and sit second in the Championship with 31 points, an incredible achievement, considering a couple of seasons ago they were on the verge of going bust.

Chairman Jon Flatman and head coach James Ford deserve tremendous credit for the resurgence of York with has continued with the majority of last season’s squad on a limited budget, which has led the possibility of playing in their new community stadium in the top flight next year.

They beat Bradford Bulls 25-24 a fortnight ago with a last-minute drop goal from Liam Harris, but the week before Batley Bulldogs gained a point with a 14-14 draw after beating them in the 1895 Cup a couple of weeks earlier.

This will give hope to the Raiders, who will need to summon up the sort of spirit that allowed them to defy the odds in those impressive victories over Halifax and Featherstone back in June.

Barrow head coach Paul Crarey said: "They're a very good side and they've been quite cute with the dual reg by bringing in quality players from Hull KR.

"Their senior players have been kept happy because they've been picked and the dual reg players have come in around them, a bit like Fev where they use a lot of players because they can.

"They have a big turnover of players and they come and go, but they've done a real good job in finishing up in that second spot up to now and they've had some great wins on the road as well.

"It will be a tough ask to beat them and we need to be at our very, very best."

Barrow will be hoping it will be third time lucky this season against York, who gave an early indication of what they're about by thrashing them 56-0 at Bootham Crescent in February before knocking them out of the Challenge Cup with a 32-16 win at Craven Park.