YORK City Knights’ 100 per cent record against League One opposition was going to end at some point and it should be no surprise it ended at Craven Park – especially after a sickness bug swept through the camp, to be compounded by a new raft of injuries.

The Knights had not won at Barrow since 2004 and had not beaten the Raiders at all since 2007 – this 50-12 defeat making it ten defeats on the bounce against the Cumbrians.

Few of them, however, would be quite so humbling, the Raiders ultimately running away with it, to leave James Ford’s high-flying men crashing back to earth, again bruised mentally as well as physically.

Ford might not have said it but there's little doubt he had wanted his new-look side to counter the hosts’ rough and tumble tactics, having seen his young class of 2015 battered off their stride amid controversial scenes in the teams’ previous meeting.

Indeed, it is widely accepted that match more than any convinced Ford he needed a Plan ‘B’ to out-grub opponents in addition to Plan ‘A’ of out-playing them.

But to properly rip in, especially against a side known for running and hitting hard, they needed to be fully fit.

They also could have done with some of their big hitters out there.

However, pack stars Mike Emmett and Ed Smith and veteran winger Austin Buchanan were all late drop-outs with illness, Pat Smith having also gone down with the same bug.

Brett Turner, whose game thrives on energy and pace, was also touch and go before starting at full-back.

York in all began with nine first-teamers out – the ill quartet adding to injured pair Rich Wilkinson and Josh Tonks, long-term crocks James Haynes and Micky Learmonth, and the omitted Ben Dent.

The figure rises to ten if it includes Jordan Crowther after his recall by parent club Wakefield.

It rose to 13 midway through the second half here, with Russ Spiers and Turner having departed with head injuries, and Harry Carter with potentially serious knee ligament damage, though it ended at 12, Spiers having returned to the fray.

Any Plan ‘B’ would not include giving penalties away, either, even if it is grubbier and grittier and a way of dislodging opponents.

But that was costly, as five of Barrow’s tries came immediately after free-kicks.

A high tackle by Jack Aldous set that tone, after which a neat move created space for Joe Bullock to score.

Indeed it was all Barrow early on and they made it 12-0 as Jamie Dallimore sidestepped Brett Waller and Carter, Chris Hankinson adding the second of his seven conversions.

York’s reply coincided with Matty Dale’s entrance into a second-row lacking its two first-choice picks.

Spiers made the try, having somehow got an offload out when held up on the last tackle, with the ball being swiftly transferred right where Dale - impressive as he makes his way back in the game - and Brad Hey’s good hands gave James Morland the chance.

Three minutes later, superb passing, this time right to left, saw Tyler Craig give the other winger, Adam Dent, a try.

York were back in it thanks to blistering rugby – last year’s Plan ‘A’.

However, another penalty – this time for a high tackle by Waller – sparked the Raiders again and they extended their lead through Andy Litherland’s excellent finish. Dale wasn’t happy, nor was a touch judge, but referee Tom Grant gave the try.

Barrow’s first try in the second half also followed a penalty, albeit a fortunate one as York were accidentally offside at a ricochet.

It was more notable for powderpuff defending by Danny Nicklas and Craig which allowed Danny Morrow a simple finish.

That was certainly not Plan ‘B’.

Barrow’s next try also followed a penalty, Cameron Pitman diving into the corner.

The Raiders had been tough but relatively clean – until a dangerous spear tackle saw Spiers helped off and Morrow yellow-carded, himself groggily trudging off after possible retribution in the melee.

York only partly took advantage.

They fluffed one great chance when they had a three-man overlap – indeed several chances went begging during the match as players cut inside instead of passing outside - while Waller had a short-range try ruled out as Kriss Brining’s pass was forward.

They finally scored as Brining went himself from dummy-half.

However, Nicklas’ poor shooting form continued – none out of three conversions this week following five of 12 last.

A refereeing gaffe cut any comeback dead.

Turner was hit with a high tackle that caused him to spill the ball and exit the action, but ref Grant awarded the Raiders a scrum.

Barrow smartly dragged men in to create a try for winger Shane Toal.

It was now game over and they rubbed salt into York wounds as Hankinson stole the ball one-on-one off Ryan Mallinder to score, David Evans sped in after backchat gave Barrow another attacking penalty, and Pitman ran beyond more weak tackles for his second.

Amid it all, Grant also put an incident on report as Brad Marwood was left needing treatment in back play.

MATCH FACTS

Barrow 50 Knights 12

Barrow: Fieldhouse, S Toal, Hankinson, Litherland, Pitman, Dallimore, Marwood, Bullock, Ashall, Wilkes, Harrison, Morrow, Aspinwall. Subs (all used): Dawson, D Toal, Abram, Bate.

Tries: Bullock 9; Dallimore 15; Litherland 33; Morrow 45; Pitman 54; S Toal 69; Hankinson 74; Pitman 76; Evans 78.

Conversions: Hankinson 9, 15, 45, 69, 74, 76, 78.

Penalties: none.

Sent off: none.

Sin-binned: Morrow 58.

Knights: Turner 6, Morland 6, Craig 6, Hey 6, A Dent 6, Presley 6, Nicklas 5, Waller 6, Carter 6, Spiers 7, Mallinder 5, Applegarth 6, Aldous 7. Subs (all used): Brining 7, Osbourne 6, Dale 7, Anderson 5.

Tries: Morland 21; A Dent 24; Brining 63.

Conversions: none.

Penalties: none.

Sent off: none.

Sin-binned: none.

Man of the match: Jack Aldous – another good-quality 70-minute stint from Mr Duracell.

Referee: Tom Grant (Leeds) – okay first half but in the second missed a blatant high tackle on Brett Turner amid several bizarre calls.

Penalty count: 9-6

Weather: warm.

Half-time: 16-8

Attendance: 977

Moment of the match: James Morland’s try came on the back of a brilliant off-load by Russ Spiers and some excellent handling that saw the ball swiftly sent right to give the winger his chance.

Gaffe of the match: five of Barrow’s tries came in sets directly after penalties were conceded – York don’t want to be soft touches but that ill-discipline needs to be tidied up.

Gamebreaker: to have had any chance of victory, especially with unreliable goalkicking, the Knights needed to score first after half-time but they conceded the next two tries, both on the back of penalties, to go from 16-8 down to 26-8 down.

Match rating: Barrow contributed to a good spectacle, with probably their best performance of the season, and had York done likewise it could have been an absolute cracker, but the depleted Knights were well short of their previous standards this term.