Halifax Panthers will be searching for back-to-back Championship victories for the first time in 2024 when they welcome play-off contenders York Knights to The Shay on Sunday, August 4 (kick off 3pm).

11th placed Fax have had an inconsistent season after only gaining six wins out of their 17 league games. However, last weekend’s 22-16 success at in-form Batley Bulldogs has put them just five points within the final play-off spot.

So can the Panthers start to look up the table, rather than down?

“We want to be positive and we have been all year,” head coach Liam Finn told the Courier. “The weekend before Batley thrusted us into more of a relegation battle rather than looking towards the play-offs. Now we need to be diligent and make sure we are safe first.

Halifax Panthers will be searching for back-to-back Championship victories for the first time in 2024 when they welcome play-off contenders York Knights to The Shay on Sunday, August 4 (kick off 3pm). Photo by Simon Hall.

placeholder image — Halifax Panthers will be searching for back-to-back Championship victories for the first time in 2024 when they welcome play-off contenders York Knights to The Shay on Sunday, August 4 (kick off 3pm). Photo by Simon Hall.

“It is tight (for the play-offs) but if we are getting the wins to keep ourselves safe then we are keeping ourselves in the mix for six.

“Wins have been hard to come by for us in the Championship this year. We have had a tough year. It was more relief than anything last week but it’s very short lived as well because the next game soon comes round.

“Two points are important but they don’t matter that much if you don’t double them up and get some back-to-back ones which we haven’t done. It’s never a bad time to put back-to-back wins together and have a bit of a run.

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“But, at the same time, we’re not foolish enough to think just because we have won one game we are going to win back-to-back. We have to earn the right to win games.”

York are currently in eighth place, just one point outside the play-offs, and convincingly beath the Panthers 40-18 in May.

“We got humbled well and truly over at York,” admitted Finn. “We know it is going to be as tough a game as any other on Sunday.

“They have had a boost from getting a new coach in, they have got a bit more energy and more enthusiasm about them. They are pretty hard to break down anyway but they will be hardworking and will have an organised game plan to put us under pressure.

“We need to be tidy with our game.”