YORK City Knights stormed to the top of the LHF Healthplan National League Two table yesterday - but the triumph came at a heavy price.

Richard Agar's charges hammered London Skolars 50-6 at Huntington Stadium and, with Barrow winning at fellow high-fliers Sheffield, the result saw the Knights move to the head of the promotion race, above both the Raiders and the Eagles.

However, in-form back-rower Damian Ball suffered an ankle injury and early fears suggest he could be out for eight weeks.

Furthermore, Dan Briggs, back in the team after a nasty head wound, suffered a recurrence of a hamstring injury and is unlikely to be fit for next weekend's big Arriva Trains Cup semi-final at Hull KR.

Full-back Nathan Graham also needed a nasty head cut to be patched up and, although he returned to the pitch yesterday, the Knights could still face a struggle to have 17 fit players for next Sunday's showdown.

Hull KR loanee Richard Wilson will not be allowed to play against his contracted club and, with Alex Godfrey suspended awaiting a drugs charge appeal and several others injured long-term, this could leave Agar with just 14 of yesterday's team - assuming they report no knocks at training - plus Rob Kama, John Smith and Mick Ramsden, should he pass a fitness test on his ankle, to make up the bare 17.

But Agar countered: "We've been in this position before and it tends to bring the best out of us."

The biggest set-back concerned in-form back-rower Ball. It is feared he has suffered ankle ligament damage similar to that which has previously kept him out for eight weeks.

Said Agar: "It's not looking good and it could well be more than a week. Damian is one of our major players and to lose him is a massive blow. Dan Briggs has pulled a hamstring again as well - he's making brief and fleeting comebacks."

Agar was otherwise happy to draw several positives from yesterday's game, not least the fact his team went top.

"Points difference was one positive for us," he said. "Another was our lads not getting drawn into anything silly, and for now going two games and only conceding one try.

"I'm surprised the aggression did not spill over at times and if I'm honest I'm disappointed with the opposition. They probably came to spoil and wind us up a bit and it's a shame because they've got some good players and I don't think they will get the best out of them playing that way."

He added: "We know we could have been more fluent with ball in hand but it's still been a good result for us.

"As a team we got a bit excited with the ball, we pushed balls that generally we would not push, but that tends to happen in games of this nature."

After the Hull KR cup tie, Agar's team face Workington, Hunslet and Sheffield away, with a spare week for the ATC final.

He added: "We've got a massive five weeks in front of us. These will be vital and to get these injuries is disappointing. We're getting thinner and thinner on the ground and we're going to have to find a player or two quickly."

Updated: 10:35 Monday, June 21, 2004