York City Knights 26 Swinton Lions 12

(At Post Office Road, Featherstone)

Knights: Moss 7, Robson 7, Normington 8, Hey 9, Mazive 7, Cockayne 9, C Robinson 9, Hawksworth 7, Ellis 8, Horne 9, Batchelor 7, Scott 9, Spears 9. Subs (all used): Jubb 7, Siddons 8, Rory Dixon 7, Porter 8.

Tries: Mazive 4, 75; Cockayne 8; Spears 23.

Conversions: C Robinson 4, 8, 23 (3/4).

Penalties C Robinson 26, 72 (2/2).

Sent off: none.

Sin-binned: none.

Swinton: Fell, Butt, Hankinson, Tyson, Webb, Fairclough, J Hansen, Bracek, H Hansen, Austin, Lloyd, Sarfield, Barlow. Subs (all used): Shelford, Taylor, Hall, Waterworth.

Tries: Tyson 32; Lloyd 56.

Conversions: Hankinson 32 (1/2).

Penalties: Hankinson 40 (1/1).

Sent off: none.

Sin-binned: Bracek 79.

Man of the match: Tim Spears – yet another captain’s show from York City Knights’ skipper, this time on his old stomping ground, as he constantly took the team forward, cajoled and led the defensive effort.

Referee: Mike Mannifield (Dewsbury) – sharp.

Penalty count: 9-12

Half-time: 20-8

Weather: freezing cold again with a bitter biting wind and a pitch covered in snow.

Attendance: 750 est

Moment of the match: After withstanding pressure aplenty down the bottom of the muddied Post Office Road slope, the Knights sealed victory with a penalty and, with the pick, Judah Mazive’s late second try, speeding through the paddy field into the top corner to get onto Ben Cockayne’s perfect kick.

Gaffe of the match: Judah Mazive vindicated his selection on the wing with tries at either end of the match, but his fumbles later in the first half set platforms for a try and penalty for Swinton which brought the Greater Manchester side back into the game at 20-8 having been four scores behind, and with the slope to come in their favour.

Gamebreaker: Swinton were very much in the tie having come back to 20-12 before the hour mark with the slope in their favour, but if the Knights’ battling defence didn’t secure the victory, then Connor Robinson’s 72nd-minute penalty reduced the pressure and Judah Mazive’s second try, from Ben Cockayne’s expert kick, sealed the success.

Match rating: the quality on show was notable in these awful conditions, as was the Knights’ grit and determination in particular to hold out amid second-half pressure and ultimately seal a superb victory, which looks relatively comfortable on the scoreboard, over a team from a high division.