BEN DENT has bravely admitted the pressure of the occasion got to him when lining up vital conversions in Sunday's play-off semi-final - but says he would be happy to continue kicking duties next term if required.

York City Knights winger-turned-full-back missed two kickable goals in the clash at Park Lane and, with Jordan Howden also fluffing one relatively easy effort and sending a touchline conversion wide, it all proved costly in a dramatic finale.

Hosts Swinton Lions equalised with a drop goal 12 seconds from time - cancelling out Howden's 40-metre drop goal - and then won the game 18-17 in golden point extra time.

The Knights had, however, scored four tries to Swinton's three and with those conversions would have been clear.

"It's just the pressure of the moment - sometimes you can let it get to you," conceded Dent.

"It's one of those things. I've kicked them all season and when it comes down to the wire, sometimes you just miss. Everyone's human."

Swinton's Chris Atkin also missed two easy conversions but he ended with two goals - plus the winning drop goal in extra time.

"We should have won the game regardless," said 24-year-old Dent, the old head in an entirely home-grown back line. "It shouldn't have gone down to that. I thought we played better than Swinton. Our tempo was quicker, our hits were harder. Everybody just needs a bit of luck, that's all."

Asked if he intends to keep kicking the goals next year, Dent said: "If (head coach) James Ford will let me, then I'm happy to do it."

Dent, York's top try-scorer last season with 20 from the wing, crossed 12 times year and added 69 goals after taking over the responsibility from crocked captain James Haynes.

His accuracy was not always on the button but he ended as the team's top points-scorer with 186 from 23 appearances.

Howden had occasionally shared the duties, but likewise was not entirely deadly, finishing with 12 goals. Haynes had booted 43 in his ten appearances.

Said Dent: "With James Haynes being the main goalkicker, he was always practising and we never really thought he would get his injury. After he got injured I stepped up to the plate.

"I kicked quite a few against Leigh Miners when I first came in (six conversions from eight attempts in the Challenge Cup win in April) and I was happy to do it.

"Sometimes it gets you the win, sometimes you miss. You could put it down to the pressure of the occasion. It is what it is. I should have got them."

Defeat in the semi-finals followed the same fate last year when the Knights, having finished top of the table, had two bites of the cherry but lost to both Hunslet and Oldham. Hunslet went on to win promotion - Oldham losing a grand final for the sixth time in eight years before finally going up this season.

"It was gutting, totally gutting," said Dent of Sunday's dramatic finale, after which players were in tears in the changing rooms.

"It's one of the worst ways to go out, on a golden point.

"Twelve seconds? I reckon it was three minutes over! It's one of them things.

"Sometimes the ball bounces your way and decisions go your way. Sometimes things don't go your way.

"We tried to keep each other's spirits up in the changing rooms. We can build on this for next year.

"We've experienced this twice now. Let's hope it's third time lucky.

"It's not like Oldham - they had to do it eight times."