YORK City Knights really need to start playing at 3pm.

Games kick off at that time but so many times the Knights' brains, if not their bodies, are still in the changing rooms.

They paid the price again yesterday as they were knocked out of the Northern Rail Cup with a 28-16 defeat at Workington Town.

Mick Cook's men fell behind in only the second minute and conceded two more tries in the first half to go in 16-6 down, their only response coming from an individual effort from winger Peter Fox.

Again they turned up the heat for a 25-minute period after the break but, just as happened at Rochdale last week, they couldn't keep it up and a breakaway try put the hosts back on the front foot and a further touchdown sealed their victory.

The Knights' title triumph and their current National League One status made them favourites to reach their second semi-final in three years, despite the fact Town have held a hoodoo sign over the Knights for more than 12 months, being the only side to beat them home and away last term.

But to justify that favouritism, the Knights need to start playing with the 80-minute consistency of an NL1 side rather than in fits and starts like an NL2 side - something they have failed to do all season.

Again they began badly. Rob Spicer unluckily slipped in the defensive line and a gap opened up, with home winger Martyn Wilson picking up the pass well to score, with Stephen Kirkbridge booting the first of his four conversions.

Big Kiwi Taani Lavulavu, and later countryman John Tuimaualuga, caused York untold problems up front and another of the former's half-breaks led to Andrew Beattie getting over, again down the Town left, only to be held up.

Then came Fox's individual brilliance as he broke through the line and outpaced the full-back and covered over 70 yards to the line, Phil Hasty goaling.

Still, Town looked more purposeful while the Knights did themselves no favours - and tested referee Mike Dawber's patience - with consective penalties for lying on.

York only briefly got into home territory - usually on the back of Scott Rhodes' decent punts - and it was their try-line that continued to be threatened.

It was finally breached by Neil Frazer down their right and, after York's best set, inspired by substitute hooker Jamaine Wray, ended with Blaymire being held up over the line, Town hit back from their own red zone with a length-of-the-field break finished by loose-forward Ryan Campbell.

It was a lead the hosts deserved as the Knights, aside from Fox's solo try, lacked sparkle. It appeared to get worse three minutes after the break as Liam Campbell touched down from another Lavulavu offload, only for Dawber to deem it a forward pass.

As it was, it got better as Hasty danced into the blind side and sent Jason Golden over.

Then, after Wray made more great yards, Rhodes flipped an inside ball to Rob Spicer who showed twinkle toes to touch down, Hasty equalising with the boot.

The Knights fans at last got vocal but the visitors were hit by a sucker punch as a poor Hasty pass was picked off by Frazer, who sprinted 85 yards home.

They had also lost Fox to a dead leg by then so lacked that threat out wide, but they were still playing better and forced a knock-on in the first tackle after the restart.

Beattie pulled off a great tackle on Rhodes an inch out on that occasion, while ten minutes later they nearly scored when a Rhodes chip caused commotion in the right corner.

But the pressure they built was wasted when Dave Buckley reefed the ball out and, after they twice called on brave defence to prevent Town adding to their lead, they could not stop Khamal Ganley racing in from Liam Campbell's pass.

Their last chance went as Blaymire was robbed of the ball in a two-on-one tackle - referee Dawber's only real mistake of the match -- and Workington thus equalled the Knights' feats of 2004 by becoming the only National League Two side to reach the last four.

Town: Ganley, Chilton, Frazer, Beattie, Wilson, L Campbell, Kirkbride, Vaughan, S Lunt, Lavulavu, Saayman, Miller, R Campbell. Subs (all used): Purdham, Burgess, Beaumont, Tuimaualuga.

Tries: Wilson 2; Frazer 24, 55; R Campbell 31; Ganley 74.

Conversions: Kirkbride 2, 31, 55, 74.

Penalties: None.

Drop-goals: None.

Sin-binned: None.

Sent off: None.

Knights: Blaymire 6, Lingard 5, Spicer 7, Law 6, Fox 6, Rhodes 7, Hasty 6, Sullivan 7, Thorman 6, O'Loughlin 6, Smith 6, Buckley 6, Golden 7. Subs (all used): Wray 8, Liddell 7, Blanchard 6, Bates 7.

Tries: Fox 13; Golden 48; Spicer 49.

Conversions: Hasty 13, 49.

Penalties: None.

Drop-goals: None.

Sin-binned: None.

Sent off: None.

Man of the match

Jamaine Wray - made a major difference when he came on as replacement hooker, speeding up the play and causing the Town defence problems.

HT: 16-6

Referee: Mike Dawber (Wigan).

Rating: Good

Attendance: 826

Penalty count: 12-10

Gamebreaker: Khamal Ganley's fine try six mintes from time meant York had to score twice thereafter. They couldn't score once.

Moment of the match: Rob Spicer ran purposefully onto a Rhodes pass and danced to the try-line to equalise for York. The joy didn't last long.

Weather watch: pretty good for rugby

Match rating: Exciting game for the home fans especially.

Updated: 08:51 Monday, May 08, 2006