Richard Agar will be hoping for a less dramatic conclusion to the Knights' play-off campaign than was witnessed at the end of the regular league season yesterday.

The Lynx entered the arena to a glitter-bomb reception and giant half-back Brian Capewell ensured they left the field with just as much drama, kicking one of the best drop goals the 616-strong crowd is ever likely to see.

And it was difficult to suggest anything other than they had deserved it after clawing their way back into the game.

The Knights had looked in control at 20-10 up six minutes into the second half when Wakefield loanee Albert Talipeau grounded the ball from a team move spearheaded by Scott Rhodes.

It was his first in a Knights shirt, having gone within inches inside the first ten minutes. But a tension crept into the Knights as the minutes ticked by.

Two virtually identical tries were run in by Steve Kilgallon on the left wing in just five minutes and Capewell rose to the challenge of the swirling wind to nail a conversion and level the scores to set up a frantic last three minutes.

John Hill bravely charged down a hastily assembled Rhodes' drop goal effort and almost escaped downfield for a try but was matched stride for stride by Brough, who kicked the ball to Chris Spurr to mount a second attempt.

This time the plucky number seven, still smarting from his yellow card, took aim only to find another Lynx body blocking his way to the posts. It clearly wasn't in the script.

But Capewell read his lines right as he punted an incredible 50-yard drop goal into the scoring zone from his own half, with the hooter following no more than six seconds in its wake.

Controversy struck on the hour mark when Danny Brough was sent to cool off in the sin bin for mouthing off at referee Steve Nicholson.

He had fumbled a kick-out, knocking the ball backwards with his palm. But it had spun forward by the time he caught it and the referee blew it up as a knock-on.

Chorley had begun to sneak back into the game, with a couple of sweet 40/20s earning them healthy possession deep in the Knights half, which Yusuf Sozi, Chris Langley and Chris Smith resolutely foiled time and again.

A well-worked try brought the first points to the visitors on 18 minutes. Albert Talipeau fed Lee Jackson inside him. He switched the ball right to Austin Buchanan, who hardly broke stride as he waltzed into the scoring zone to make it 4-0.

Brough added two from a penalty for holding five minutes later but it was Langley who propelled the Knights into some kind of breathing space when he dived over on the far side on 28 minutes.

Shell-shocked Chorley had barely made an impact on the first half apart from a missed penalty after just seven minutes - the first sign of York's intermittent indiscipline.

And Jim Elston rammed the point further home just before half-time with a brilliant self-made try straight from a play the ball.

But it was Lynx sub Martin Roden who importantly had the last say of the half after finally scrambling over the line to make it a less demoralising 6-16.

That indomitable spirit reared its head again with the second half less than two minutes old when Danny Arnold crossed the whitewash to pile the pressure on the would-be champions.

A buzz of excitement rippled through the 400-plus Knights' fans at half time with the news that Dewsbury were leading Barrow 6-4 - a result that would have granted York the title if they beat or even drew with Chorley.

But by the end it didn't matter. The Raiders pulled themselves together for a comfortable sounding 26-12 and the Lynx made their last moments memorable ones.

The end of the season has brought with it contrasting fortunes.

Chorley are once again staring at obscurity with the dim hope of a resurrection.

The Knights, meanwhile, will be hoping for a fresh start in the play-offs, and ultimately, League One.

Match facts:

LHF Healthcare

National League Divison 2

Sunday, September 12, 2004

at Victory Park

Knights: C Smith 7, Buchanan 7, Langley 8, Spurr 7, Farrell 7, Rhodes 7, Brough 7, Wilson 7, Jackson 7, Sullivan 7, Callaghan 7, Friend 7, Talipeau 8. Subs (all used): Elston 7, Cain 7, J Smith 7, Sozi 8.

Tries: Buchanan 18; Langley 28; Elston 36; Talipeau 46.Conversions: Brough 36. Penalties: Brough 22. Drop goals: None

Sin-binned: Brough 59.

Sent off: None.

Chorley: Patterson, Arnold, Redford, Johnson, Kilgallon, Capewell, Gambles, Parry, Ramsdale, Hill, Chamberlain, Smith, Barton. Subs (all used): Rowley, Lomax, Bithell, Roden.

Tries: Roden 39; Arnold 42; Kilgallon 72, 76. Cons: Capewell 39, 76. Penalties: None. Drop goal: Capewell 80.

Sin-binned: None.

Sent off: None.

Man of the match:

Yusuf Sozi - only came on after 28 minutes but soon became a dominant presence in the York defence with several big hits restricting the Lynx revival.

HT: 6-16.

Referee: Steve Nicholson (Whitehaven). Rating: Not brilliant.

Penalty count: 10-6

Gamebreaker: Danny Brough's yellow card on the hour mark unsettled the Knights' and made it easy for the Lynx to dig their claws in for a much-desired win.

Attendance: 616

Weather watch: Drizzly with a swirling wind.

Match rating: Unusually scrappy from the Knights' point of view, but they had to contend with an emotional atmosphere and a team desperate to go out on a high. Another display of indiscipline will cost them dear against Halifax.

Updated: 12:16 Monday, September 13, 2004