THERE can be no doubt about it. This was the best performance seen at Huntington Stadium for years. So much so that by the end things were getting ridiculous.

York City Knights blew away form-team Workington in such devastating fashion that anyone watching on teletext would have thought there had been a typing error.

But 70-10 was the correct scoreline. A Knights club record no less. Talk about saving it for when it mattered.

A defeat would have ended such a sometimes exhilarating season on a downer, with three consecutive losses. This victory instead gives the fans a deserved day out on Grand Finals Day - York's first final since the 1979 Yorkshire Cup - and, of course, keeps alive the promotion dream.

And on this showing, they should be confident of avenging last week's loss at Halifax on an even bigger stage.

Town, who had peaked for the play-offs, arrived in York as many people's favourites to reach the National League Two finale. But they were sent packing as if hit by a runaway train. Or a Simon Friend tackle. Or a Yusuf Sozi hit-up.

To a man, the Knights were superb.

Defensively they were magnificent. Off-loads were wrapped up, Town's NL2 Player of the Month Jonny Limmer was kept quiet, full-back Lusi Sione didn't get a sniff and big-hitting forward John Tuimaualuga was bigger-hit back.

Even Tane Manihera could do little, being outplayed by rival half-backs Danny Brough and Scott Rhodes - the latter underlining his confidence (cockiness?) by blowing him a kiss as he scored a try.

They found something extra going forward too. There were a few handling errors in the first half but they attacked with gusto and without fear, and in the second half almost everything they touched turned to gold.

And all this after suffering an early blow with injury to Jim Elston.

Setbacks, though, can sometimes present opportunities, and it's fair to say - here comes a contender for understatement of the year - Mark Cain took his pretty well in coming off the bench to score a club record five tries in a match.

Elston's departure also put more responsibility on Lee Jackson's shoulders at dummy-half. But he was so majestic he was almost regal.

Knights were 4-0 up by the time Cain came on, Rhodes' long pass having put Chris Spurr in.

Cain immediately had a try disallowed for a foul under the high ball, but he was soon touching down for real after some great footwork.

Town needed something special to hit back and found it when Martyn Wilson's reverse pass took out two defenders for Scott Chilton to cross, and it appeared they then equalised following an up-and-under. But their glee turned to despair in a flash. Literally.

The try was ruled out for a knock-on and, as it was the sixth tackle, Knights got the hand-over - with Austin Buchanan taking it so quickly he flashed through a flummoxed defence and all the way to the posts.

Before the cheering had ended, Sozi blasted upfield and gave a quick play-the-ball for Rhodes to take advantage with a step and go to the line, mocking Manihera as he went. Then Buchanan created space for Spurr to send in Craig Farrell.

The first score of the second half was probably going to be crucial. And when it came, it's pure brilliance tore the remaining belief out of Town's hearts. Jackson appeared to hit a cul-de-sac but threw out an unbelievable long, looping pass to Farrell on the burst to the corner.

Town's frustration turned to indiscipline as Brett Smith was lucky to be sin-binned for raining punches down on Cain - Brough adding a penalty to his seven conversions - before Adam Sullivan was hit by a high tackle.

Both took revenge, though, as Sullivan crashed through before Cain scored a quick double.

Manihera managed a consolation but, in the last seven minutes, Cain touched down a grubber by Jackson, who, with Brough on the sidelines, enjoyed the conversion, then got his fifth try following Town hesitancy, before Buchanan wrapped things up with a poacher's try sandwiched by two conversions.

Most of the names were the same, but it was a different team to the one at Halifax last week. Hopefully, it will be this team that turns up again next week.

Knights: C Smith 9, Bucha-nan 10, Langley 9, Spurr 8, Farrell 9, Rhodes 9, Brough 10, Wilson 9, Jackson 10, Sozi 10, J Smith 8, Friend 10, Elston 6. Subs (all used): Cain 10, Talipeau 8, Sullivan 9, Forsyth 8.

Tries: Spurr 2; Cain 12, 59, 61, 73, 76; Buchanan 31, 78; Rhodes 33; Farrell 36, 45; Sullivan 56.

Cons: Brough 12, 31, 33, 45, 56, 59, 61; Jackson 73; Buchanan 76, 78. Penalties: Brough 52.

Sin-binned: None.

Sent off: None.

Town: Sione, Chilton, Wilson, Dawes, Lewthwaite, George, Manihera, Tunstall, Limmer, Tuimaualuga, Dean, Beaumont, B Smith. Subs (all used): Bragg, Wright, Burgess, Robinson.

Tries: Chilton 28; Manihera 69.

Cons: Manihera 28.

Sin-binned: B Smith 52.

Sent off: None.

Man of the match:

Mark Cain - A host of players could have got the nod but to come off the bench and score five tries in a game as important as this can not be ignored.

HT: 26-6

Referee: Ronnie Laughton (Barnsley).

Rating: Alright.

Penalty count: 8-6

Gamebreaker: Town appeared to equalise at 10-10 with a try on the half-hour mark but it was disallowed and Austin Buchanan raced up the other end to start a scoring spree of three tries in five minutes which took the game away from the visitors.

Attendance: 2,017.

Weather watch: Rain held off until the last ten minutes. Chilly down-pitch breeze.

Match rating: Simply unbelievable for Knights fans. (But imagine the trip back for the large travelling faithful).

Updated: 09:31 Monday, October 04, 2004