York City Knights 56 Gloucestershire All Golds 12 - match report and player ratings

Brought in as another option to impressive half-back pair Jonny Presley and Danny Nicklas, he followed his 16 points on debut last week with 28 on his Bootham Crescent bow as the Knights saw off Gloucestershire All Golds 56-12 to not only secure an important top-four placing with two games to go before the Super 8s but also keep up the pressure on leaders Toulouse ahead of their showdown next Saturday.

The teenager bagged a hat-trick and eight conversions from nine attempts – goalkicking consistency that has been largely missing this year – and had a hand in other touchdowns, too, on a day when pretty much everything came off for him.

With Presley rested last week and Nicklas this, it means Ford must decide whether to revert to his trusted twosome in France or let the talented Hull loanee loose in his toughest assignment yet.

More tasty food for thought was also provided by Andy Smith, who brought strength and power to the wing on his introduction after half-time.

The former Bradford star had not played pro rugby league for three and a half years - but it looked like he’d played only last week such was the ferocity and order in his hit-ups. If only he’d been able to cap it with a try, instead of being halted an inch short.

With Tommy Saxton also impressing, Austin Buchanan rising to the challenge and the Dent brothers watching on, it is not surprising Ford felt able to let former first-choice winger Brett Turner go.

Ford as expected had made plenty of changes for the second week in a row – eight in all - with Smith making his debut off the bench and Rich Wilkinson a welcome return at full-back after injury, just in time to get minutes before the key clashes against Toulouse and Keighley.

Also back were Saxton, Presley, captain Jack Aldous, Russ Spiers, Josh Tonks and Kriss Brining.

Among those on the sidelines this time were Nicklas, for his first breather this season, Mark Applegarth, Brett Waller, Pat Smith, Matty Dale, James Morland and the Dents – underlining the strength in depth in Ford’s squad.

Tyson-Wilson made his mark inside three minutes, dummying past Aussie Josh Allison and reaching the line.

Adam Robinson, also on his Bootham bow, likewise quickly showed his class with a great run and offload helping to set the platform for a quick second try, Harry Carter’s flat pass giving Mike Emmett an easy finish.

Saxton and Robinson, again, got out offloads that troubled the All Golds further, the visitors also struggling to cope with York’s early intensity, despite ongoing attempts to slow up rucks.

It wasn’t long before Emmett got his second, going into dummy-half and going over the try-line.

Then it was Tyson-Wilson’s turn again, jinking and twisting in.

In between times, Allison was held up over the whitewash, York having blotted their copybook when allowing a restart to bounce out. Kieran Hyde was also then held up, subs Jack Anderson and Jordan Crowther getting underneath him to make premature the visitors’ cheers.

All Golds did break their duck, though, after half an hour.

They had been on a team warning for persistent infringing but then five penalties in a row went their way and, from the last, hooker Steve Parry burrowed in, the try awarded despite Crowther’s protestations. Scrum-half Hyde converted.

The Knights soon upped their lead, though, Brining with his regulation try from acting-half - two sidesteps twisting opponents’ knees in knots.

Brining helped set the scoreboard ticking again two minutes into the second half, darting through a gap and sending Tyson-Wilson home for his hat-trick.

Smith’s first hit-up back in pro rugby and quick play-the-ball had helped set Brining away.

Smith then came within an inch of his first try, too, after a power play on the last tackle.

It was namesake Ed Smith, instead, who got the next, onto Presley’s precise low kick like a flash at left-centre.

Another kick and another take by Ed set up the next try. His offload and that by Saxton were not tidy, but Brining picked up and, having appeared to be halted, somehow dived over the desperate defence to notch his second try.

York’s dominance would have been greater but for penalties again helping to take pressure off the All Golds.

But in possession they were generally clean, powerful and at times expressive, barring a five-minute spell in the second half when forward passes marred the copybook.

The second set up the field position from which Parry got his second try, scrambling over after collecting Crowther’s knock-on under Brendon Newton’s bomb. Hyde converted.

But York quickly responded, after a high tackle by Lamont Bryan on Harry Carter fired up the crowd – Gloucestershire’s veteran second-row was excellent throughout but was the pantomime villain here.

Tonks, who had often lifted the crowd with his direct running at and over bigger opponents, scored the try, charging onto Tyson-Wilson’s pass like a runaway train again.

Big second-row Robinson then capped the win from Presley’s pass, powering through like a bull for his third try in two outings for the club.

MATCH FACTS

Knights 56 All Golds 12

Knights: Wilkinson 6, Saxton 7, Smeaton 7, E Smith 7, Buchanan 7, Presley 7, Tyson-Wilson 8, Aldous 7, Carter 7, Spiers 7, Tonks 8, Robinson 8, Emmett 7. Subs (all used): Brining 8, Anderson 8, Crowther 6, A Smith 8.

Tries: Tyson-Wilson 4, 18, 42; Emmett 7, 13; Brining 35, 54; Ed Smith 52; Tonks 69; Robinson 75.

Conversions: Tyson-Wilson 5, 12, 17, 35, 42, 52, 69, 75.

Penalties: none.

Sent off: none.

Sin-binned: none.

All Golds: Cowburn, Agoro, Allison, McComb, Barlow, Mitchell, Hyde, Evans, Parry, Purslow, Whittel, Goodall, Bryan. Subs (all used): Newton, Williams, Brad Hill, Kenga.

Tries: Parry 31, 64.

Conversions: Hyde 31, 64.

Penalties: none.

Sent off: none.

Sin-binned: none.

Man of the match: Harry Tyson-Wilson – a hat-trick and eight goals gave the talented teenager 28 points on his Bootham Crescent bow, and food for thought for head coach James Ford ahead of the big games to come.

Referee: Jon Roberts (Leeds) – not too bad.

Penalty count: 11-11

Weather: bit of sun, bit of breeze.

Half-time: 28-6

Attendance: 585

Moment of the match: Harry Tyson-Wilson’s hat-trick try from Kriss Brining’s break was excellent, but Josh Tonks’ try, charging onto Tyson-Wilson’s pass like a runaway train was just reward for the second-row who had charged like a runaway train into hit-ups all day long.

Gaffe of the match: the penalties conceded by York that often helped to take pressure off Gloucestershire when they were otherwise stuck in their own half.

Gamebreaker: After Mike Emmett and Harry Tyson-Wilson completed braces inside the first quarter, the Knights had already gone clear and never looked like letting the lead slip.

Match rating: All Golds aren’t a bad team but could not cope with York’s power and intensity, the Knights, with more old heads now in the side, looking more and more like potential Championship material.