Keighley Cougars’ assistant coach Glenn Barraclough has admitted his side are growing increasingly desperate as they bid to kick-start their campaign at the seventh time of asking this weekend.

Paul March’s side host York City Knights tomorrow on the back of a dismal six-match losing streak which has seen them drop to the foot of the Kingstone Press Championship table.

It is a worrying sequence for Cougars, beaten 52-10 at leaders Featherstone a week ago, and Barraclough accepts the pressure is on to stop the rot.

The former Bradford Northern player said: “We’re getting desperate now because it’s six games in and we still haven’t won a game.

“But I don’t think it’s too far away. We’ve got to play York with a bit of confidence and look to get that first win.

“Obviously York will be viewing us as a win possibility as well.

“We’re down on confidence but if we can just get some decent possession and improve the penalty counts then we’ll give ourselves a good opportunity to play off the back of that.

“But we need to stop hurting ourselves and make sure the opposition have to work for their yards instead of us inviting them down the field.”

Barraclough was referring to the ill discipline which saw Cougars concede a glut of pen-alties during last week’s heavy reverse at Featherstone.

It is proving to be a baptism of fire for March since succeeding Jason Demetriou.

But Barraclough has backed the rookie boss to engineer an upturn in fortunes, adding: “Paul has got a good work ethic and is very competitive on the field. I think that’s what people see on the field but he’s actually quite a deep thinker on the game.

“He puts a lot of thought into what he does and he’s just a good all-round guy.

“I’m sure the lads will keep playing for him because he’s a likeable sort of bloke and has certainly got the backing of the team.”

Meanwhile, on-loan Dewsbury centre Elliott Cosgrove should make his home debut tomorrow after playing at Featherstone but Charlie Martin could be the only dual-registered Castleford player available.

Tigers duo Johnny Walker and Richard Owen played last Thursday but are expected to be included in Ian Millward’s squad for Sunday’s home game with London Broncos.