BEN DENT starred with a hat-trick as York City Knights returned to the top of the Kingstone Press Championship One table today thanks to a 48-10 win at South Wales Scorpions.

Player/assistant-coach James Ford, back from injury, also bagged a brace, while captain Jack Lee scored his 12th try in ten matches to stay within one of Dent at the top of the club charts.

Colton Roche and James Haynes also crossed and Ben Reynolds, back on dual-reg after playing for Castleford last week, ended with 16 points from a try and six conversions.

The Knights had travelled with a weakened team but hosts South Wales were also down to the bare bones, with Harry Cartwright, a former Warrington Wolves academy player on trial from amateurs Chester Gladiators, making up their 17 – and leaving the pitch on a stretcher after being knocked out in a brawl in the second half.

Their try-scorers were Jack Pring and Mike Connor, Paul Emanuelli adding one goal.