EX-YORK City Knights player-coach Paul March has had the upper hand over his former club since he was sacked in 2009 – but past results counted for nothing today as he came up against a tougher, meaner Minster city side.

As player-boss at Hunslet, March won four and drew one of five meetings and, since going to Keighley as a player and then as boss, he has enjoyed four wins in five.

The one time York won, in 2013, the Cougars had the last laugh as they stayed up while the Knights were relegated.

However, James Ford's Knights came out on top in this Challenge Cup fourth-round tie – winning 20-12 thanks initially to an excellent first half and 20-0 interval lead and ultimately to their stoic, well-organised defence, which kept hold of the advantage in the face of growing pressure, much of which was invited on themselves.

That defence has been a feature of the Knights' season so far and, even though the Cougars were below par in the first half especially, to keep a side who have racked up 142 points in their last three games to just two tries is no small feat.

It had looked like it might be a long day in defence as York made two basic errors from the off, Brett Waller and Ryan Mallinder the culprits.

Keighley could not break through but still should have taken the lead with a penalty conceded by Waller 30 metres out in front of the sticks. Stand-off Adam Brook missed – and then the complexion of the game all changed.

Young Harry Carter, the Knights' man of the match as substitute hooker last time out against London Skolars, was the catalyst, this time having started the game.

He went close with a dart from dummy-half and Mike Emmett dug over under the sticks.

The hooker's next run out of dummy-half then got field position and had the Cougars on the back foot, before a smart move involving Jonny Presley, Ed Smith and Bray Hey, with a cute dummy, gave winger James Morland an easy run-in.

It got better, as full-back Richard Wilkinson came into his own. He took a high shot but still got a superb ball away to Austin Buchanan, giving the returning winger a simple touchdown.

The full-back's superb run then sliced through the Keighley defence and, with the visitors at sixes and sevens, Danny Nicklas cut inside a weak James Feather tackle to score.

Nicklas converted two tries but, in keeping with his goal-kicking to date, missed the two harder kicks as well as a reasonably straightforward penalty just before half-time.

The 20-0 interval scoreline was still more than handy.

Ford had made two changes to the 17 on duty in the league win over Skolars, with veteran wideman Buchanan fit again after off-season surgery and finally making his debut. Back-row enforcer Mallinder was also back after illness.

The latter was a straight swap for on-loan Jordan Crowther, who could not play anyway as parent club Wakefield didn't want him cup-tied, while Brett Turner also made way, despite three tries in three games to date.

March, meanwhile, had made two changes to the Cougars personnel that disappointed in League One defeat to Doncaster last Sunday. In came winger Vinny Finigan for the unavailable Andy Gabriel, and forward Sonny Esslemont for Ross Peltier. Finigan and Esslemont were two of six players that had some Super League experience.

The Cougars had to score first in the second half to have a chance – and did so.

York could have counter-attacked but Presley's pass to Morland went out of play and, following the scrum 20 metres out, Brook jinked through and converted.

They looked to be getting the upper hand, too, playing with more vigour. But then came the Knights in a rare breakaway, only denied a superb try by the bounce of the ball as Wilkinson's smart kick just spun out of Morland's path. They had another chance, too, but Hey's pass to Morland flew out of play.

Aided by Cougars transgressions, they did cross the whitewash when Waller ran over defenders but Presley's pass was ruled forward.

Back came Keighley, helped by York's increasing error count. They wasted two great chances, York's defence causing errors. But they were handed another, after Conor Bower's forced pass gave them more cheap possession – and this time Feather scored from dummy-half, Brook goaling.

The Knights could have put the game to bed when they had three consecutive sets in the visitors' territory, Bower within inches of making amends for his error.

But the Cougars still had a sniff, not least with Wilkinson rolling an ankle and – with no interchanges left – sent out to pasture on the wing.

A more ruthless Keighley would have attacked that flank relentlessly in the closing stages. When they did, Paul Handforth kicking high on the last tackle, Hamish Barnes touched down – only Charlie Martin had knocked on in challenging Wilkinson under the ball.

They ended the game attacking, with several sets in the red zone. But the Knights were not to be breached again, that defence of theirs effectively securing a potential money-spinning fifth-round tie.

MATCH FACTS

Knights 20 Keighley 12

Knights: Wilkinson 8, Buchanan 7, Bower 6, Hey 6, Morland 6, Presley 6, Nicklas 7, Waller 7, Carter 8, Aldous 8, Mallinder 6, E Smith 7, Emmett 8. Subs (all used): Brining 7, Applegarth 8, Spiers 7, Tonks 6.

Tries: Emmett 10; Morland 12; Buchanan 19; Nicklas 30. Conversions: Nicklas 10, 30. Penalties: Nicklas 0/1.

Keighley: R Hawkyard, Finigan, Martin, Barnes, White, Brook, Handforth, Bailey, Feather, Rawlins, D Hawkyard, Oakes, Ollett. Subs (all used): Law, Lindsay, Cherryholme, Esslemont.

Tries: Brook 45; Feather 66. Conversions: Brook 45, 66. Penalties: Brook 0/1.

Man of the match: Mike Emmett – vice-captain Emmett, along with skipper Jack Aldous. gave captain’s knocks in the middle of the field, helping to set the platform for the first-half advantage on the scoreboard and doing their bit in the defensive effort throughout. Richard Wilkinson and Harry Carter were also the catalysts for the points on the board.

Referee: Jon Roberts (Leeds) – pretty good.

Penalty count: 14-7

Weather: a bit cloudy

Half-time: 20-0

Attendance: 624

Moment of the match: All of York’s scoring took place in the first half, Danny Nicklas’ try the pick of the four following Richard Wilkinson’s scything run down centre-field.

Gaffe of the match: York led 20-6 with 15 minutes to go, with Keighley getting on top and with the next try potentially crucial. A few straightforward sets and a foothold were needed but Conor Bower forced a pass inside his own half and duly lost possession. A penalty followed and Keighley were given renewed heart as James Feather scored.

Gamebreaker: York’s stoic defence in the second half was the difference, even though it was breached twice, and when Hamish Barnes’ try for the Cougars with the clock ticking down was chalked off for a knock-on under the high ball, the visitors’ last clear-cut scoring chance was gone, despite further pressure.

Match rating: it was a pretty good cup tie when all’s said and done between two teams who will want to vie for promotion from League One. However, Keighley won’t be happy with their display, especially in the first half, and York won’t be happy with theirs with the ball in the second, even if their defence did again come up trumps.