ATTACK is usually the best form of defence in rugby league, but York City Knights proved yesterday that enthusiasm, superb tackling and sheer hard work can be a close second.

The excellent tackling during the big win at Gateshead last week had gone largely unnoticed as the attack took centre stage, but at Huntington Stadium yesterday the Knights' defensive line shone like a beacon.

What made it more impressive was the fact it came in a stifling humidity which saw fans sweating buckets just sat in the shade.

The most appropriate example came in the last ten or 12 minutes, in a period which saw Barrow Raiders camped on the Knights' line for umpteen consecutive sets as they tried to claw back a 12-point deficit.

A converted try then would have opened the game up again, but the defence, with several players running on empty, remained inflexible, and when it looked like the Raiders had broken through, scrum-half Danny Brough made a try-saving tackle after chasing play from one side to the other and tracking back some 30 metres.

Barrow had lost inspirational play-maker Tane Manihera not long before the game to a virus and, although Adam Pate filled in excellently at stand-off, scoring a try and four goals to boot, the Raiders were perhaps lacking that bit of magic to break down the resolute home defence at key times.

But take nothing away from Paul Broadbent's men - they too were missing key men, and Barrow, joint-top before kick off, were no mugs.

Furthermore, the victory margin of 28-16 could even have been greater as the Knights had two would-be tries disallowed in the last 13 minutes - decisions which, although correct, kept the game somewhere in the balance.

Nevertheless, the triumph gave York their first double of the league campaign and it could yet prove crucial in both side's promotion pushes.

Brough again took the plaudits as the sponsor's man of the match, but loose-forward Trevor Krause was arguably the stand-out performer in what was a true team performance.

It was his excellent yards following good work by winger Rob Kama which set the field position for a penalty for offside, goaled by Brough, which gave the hosts a 12th-minute lead.

But Barrow, the more threatening until then, quickly equalised with a penalty.

The visitors kept the pressure on but in the next real attack by York, Mark Cain fed on-loan full-back Jonny Woodcock to break through and score his seventh try in his fourth and final game for the club. He will be missed.

The lead lasted just five minutes this time as Jamie Smith broke down Barrow's right before exchanging passes with his winger, Jamie Marshall, to cross. Ironically, this score came after the best bit of pressure at the other end.

A Brough penalty for offside again put York back in front and they crucially went two scores up when a couple of good sets ended with Krause doing one of his dummies and darts from acting-half to get over.

But Barrow again hit back quickly as, on the stroke of half-time, Phil Atkinson collected what looked a forward pass to send Pate through.

York's two-point interval lead did not look match-winning, but Barrow were never allowed back into the game after the superb Lee Jackson, in what was his best display for some time, scored four minutes after the restart.

Darren Callaghan - both he and Mick Ramsden were excellent in the second-row - charged into the defensive wall near the try-line and somehow got the ball back out to Jackson, who strolled into the gap created by Callaghan.

Again Barrow hit back quickly with a penalty, but another wonderful Krause break led to Barrow being offside, with Brough restoring the eight-point gap.

The game then went that much further away from the Raiders' reach thanks to a bit of Fijian magic, coupled with a barrel-load of Acomb enterprise.

Kama looked all done in as he chased back to pick up a kick in his own 20, but a hot-shoe-shuffle and a couple of hitch-kicks later, the flying winger was racing down the inside left. In support on his outside, from nowhere, came Callaghan, who took the pass past the full-back and had the legs to outpace his man over 30 yards to the corner.

Brough's 100 per cent kicking record ended as his conversion attempt hit the post and he also missed a drop goal effort as the Knights tried to make their attacks pay.

Woodcock was offside when touching down Brough's grubber and in the dying minutes Law was hauled back as referee Julian King spotted a forward pass.

But these scores were not crucial as the defence at the other end assured an eighth victory in ten games.

Knights: Wood-cock 7, Godfrey 7, Hallas 7, Law 7, Kama 8, Cain 7, Brough 8, Hayes 8, L Jackson 9, Helme 8, Ramsden 8, Callaghan 8, Krause 9. Subs (all used): Hughes 8, Molloy 7, Spink 6, Forsyth 8.

Tries: Woodcock 23, Krause 37, Jackson 44, Callaghan 60.

Conversions: Brough 23, 37, 44.

Penalties: Brough 12, 34, 51.

Drop goals: None.

Sin-binned: None.

Sent off: None.

Barrow: Bower, Marshall, Smith, Jones, Irabor, Pate, Henderson, Liku, Archer, S Jackson, King, McClure, Atkinson.

Subs (all used): Lupton, Dancer, Stainton, Jones.

Tries: Smith 28, Pate 40.

Conversions: Pate 28, 40.

Penalties: Pate 14, 47.

Drop goals: None.

Sin-binned: None.

Sent off: None.

Man of the match: Trevor Krause - Another mammoth tackling stint, some telling breaks and a vital try.

HT: 16-14

Referee: Julian King (St Helens)

Penalty count: 8-6

Attendance: 1,063

Updated: 10:37 Monday, August 11, 2003