WOW. Just wow. York City Knights only went and won at Bradford Bulls - ending a wonderful week at the club on a significant high by pulling off a stunning victory and blowing the two-horse Betfred League One title race wide open.

In James Ford’s first game in charge since agreeing a new contract to go full-time, and just hours after they announced one of the biggest signings in the club’s history in Aussie Joel Edwards, Ford’s troops on the field pulled off the improbable with an engrossing, spell-bending, thrilling, nail-biting 30-28 victory at the iconic Odsal Stadium.

The reverse match at Bootham Crescent was won for the Bulls by a Joe Keyes penalty after the final hooter. This time Dane Chisholm had the chance to nick a draw with a conversion attempt with a minute left. This time the ball went wide.

This time the fallen giants were felled again.

The Bulls stayed top of the table but now only on points-difference above the buoyant Knights with eight games to go.

Ford had said before the game he was confident. In fact, the build-up was reminiscent of last season’s shock win over champions-elect Toronto Wolfpack. Even scraping home against London Skolars eight days earlier suggested focus was on this big one.

York duly stunned - and silenced - the big home crowd by building a 24-0 first-half lead.

John Kear’s Bulls, as expected, fought back in the second, helped by a heavy 17-6 penalty count.

However, a length-of-the-field try by Judah Mazive after some brilliance from Jake Butler-Fleming stemmed the tide - and the breathing space was just enough at the death.

What a game it was - these two teams again doing League One proud.

The Knights had lined up as expected with Matty Marsh back at full-back - Ben Cockayne continuing in the halves - and fellow dual-reg duo Josh Johnson and Jordan Walne coming in at prop. Johnson was allowed to play despite an impending one-match ban – much to Kear’s consternation.

The literally big new recruit from Leeds Rhinos, Jack Ormondroyd, began on the bench. He certainly made an impact – he gave away a couple of penalties but troubled the opposition with and without the ball.

Hooker Andy Ellis and second-row Sam Scott were also back after being rested against London Skolars – and boy, did they come back with a bang. On loan Huddersfield prop Colton Roche (groin), though, was not fit to return.

Liam Jackson, Adam Robinson, Will Jubb, Dan Hawksworth, Mike Kelly and Ronan Dixon dropped out. Edwards was not signed in time to make his bow.

Kear opted against throwing big new signing Jordan Lilley straight in – indeed it would have been a tough call to drop half-backs Chisholm and Keyes, while Sam Hallas has been having a decent season at hooker and veteran interchange George Flanagan got two tries at Hunslet last week and usually scores against York, too. He didn’t score this time.

Centre Ash Gibson (broken thumb) and second-row James Laithwaite (broken leg) were out and, with veteran threequarter Lee Smith failing a late test, were replaced in the 17 by Liam Johnson and Liam Kirk respectively.

The Knights took a sixth-minute lead on the back of a penalty.

Cockayne and Ellis combined and Johnson was over – adding to Kear’s consternation - with Connor Robinson converting.

It was all York early on, Cockayne’s kick and chase forcing a dropout, Andy Ellis being halted on the last.

Bradford were the team making the errors too, Dalton Grant fumbling at dummy-half in his own red zone.

York quickly moved the ball right where Cockayne’s dummy opened a gap big enough for him to clamber through. Robinson goaled and it was 12-0 after as many minutes.

Bradford had their first view of York’s try-line following a penalty for accidental offside. The Knights’ goalline defence passed its first test.

The lead then extended to 16-0 with a cracker.

Robinson booted a fabulous 40-20 and, with the ball moved swiftly to the right, Butler-Fleming dragged defenders in and got a wonderful pass out the back door to give Mazive an easy try.

Knights fans were in dreamland with a quarter of the game gone.

It got better.

Bulls full-back Gregg McNally could not get underneath a Robinson bomb 30 metres from his line and instead mis-controlled the ball. Graeme Horne, just on the field, caught the rebound at point-blank range to set up another attack.

It ended with Joe Batchelor running over Keyes into the left corner.

Robinson added the extras and soon booted a penalty when a quick ruck caught Bradford offside.

It should have got worse for the Bulls when McNally dropped a Marsh bomb below his own sticks but referee Matt Rossleigh inexplicably deemed the ball went backwards.

Two penalties then piggybacked the Bulls upfield – Cockayne fortunate to suffer no further censure for a tip-tackle.

Goalline defence again held out, Flanagan spilling when going for the whitewash.

But two more penalties had the hosts coming again and they should have scored via a two-on-one on the right, only Liam Johnson held on instead of putting Grant home.

They had another chance with another penalty – the count now stood at 8-3 – but coughed the ball up on tackle one.

Unlucky spills by Robson and Mazive gave them more possession, though, and they finally broke through two minutes before half-time.

York winger Robson was screaming for more men to shift over but his left-edge defence was shorthanded and Keyes’ long pass put Grant into the corner.

York would have taken the 24-4 half-time scoreline before kick-off - but the pressure was mounting.

The Bulls suffered a blow on the resumption as Keyes was stretchered off after a lengthy delay.

It looked worrying but was purely accidental – Keyes one of two tacklers halting Batchelor. Back-rower Elliot Minchella went in at half-back.

Bulls pressure immediately resumed as they were handed a lucky penalty when Ormondroyd, quick out of the blocks, was deemed offside when forcing an error from Ross Peltier.

Sub Liam Kirk was held up over the whitewash but yet more penalties went the hosts’ way. Flanagan was denied at the line, twice. Matt Garside was held up.

York’s goal-line defence got some just deserts when a penalty went their way for a play-the-ball off the mark, but the pressure was only briefly relieved as two more penalties – the count now at 14-5 – had the hosts in the red zone again.

This time McNally dug in and Chisholm converted.

Chisholm’s big bombs soon began to cause York big problems, and the Knights, tired out by the penalty count, were also now losing contacts.

It all showed as big Ross Peltier brushed defenders off. Chisholm’s conversion made it 24-16.

York had to change the momentum somehow. Fine runs by Robson and Tim Spears got them into opposition territory. Their next break was wasted, though, when Robinson fumbled at the play-the-ball.

They paid for it after a moment of ridiculous magic from Bulls left-winger Ethan Ryan.

Another steepler from Chisholm seemed to be drifting out of play by the flag but Ryan somehow caught it and twisted in mid-air to touch it down, Mazive unable to tackle him in the air. It was a try that would make any NRL highlights reel, never mind League One.

Chisholm’s touchline conversion made it 24-22.

Chisholm’s kicks were tormenting York all over - another steepler causing Mazive to spill the ball behind.

From the next, however, the game changed.

Butler-Fleming switched with Mazive to be the one under the kick - such a potential need to swap roles had been pinpointed in training – and this time it was he who caught the bomb.

Not only that but he slipped the ball to Mazive to sprint the length of the field. Wow. Robinson’s goal made it 30-22.

Bulls, still on the front foot, looked certain to score again but Robson’s desperate defence somehow caused Grant to fumble at the corner.

They had another chance when ref Rossleigh was fooled by Chisholm’s dive and gave the Bulls another penalty.

Yet another followed and Chisholm's goal cut the gap to 30-24 with five and a half minutes to go - the Bulls backing themselves to cross at least once more in the time that remained.

Bulls had the roll on again, York were playing for time. A 17th home penalty had the hosts in Knights territory again.

Defenders were dragged in and a long pass put Grant over. Cockayne was adamant it was forward but, no, Chisholm had the chance to level matters at the death.

However, he missed - and York’s travelling army were back in dreamland.