ED SMITH seems to be enjoying playing out in the centres.

The 23-year-old, having been moved from his usual back-row slot, so nearly won York City Knights the iPro Sport Cup on Saturday with a wonderful late try in the final, only for Keighley’s Charlie Martin to come back with a sucker punch.

Just four days later at Bootham Crescent, he scored his first-ever hat-trick in his 110th appearance for his home-town club, leading the team to a 32-14 victory over Coventry Bears and two much-needed Kingstone Press League One points.

It again wasn’t vintage Knights – referee Tom Crashley made sure of that – but, coming so soon after Saturday’s downer, it was all about the result, and this one lifted them to fourth in the table ahead of Sunday’s visit of Rochdale, who sit four points ahead having played one game more.

Kriss Brining was also back to somewhere near his best after a few subdued displays, another home-grown player to bag a couple of tries and at key times too, while Ross Divorty had an encouraging debut in the back-row, his combinations with his old mates the Smith brothers already looking promising.

Head coach James Ford had made four changes in all to the personnel that lost to Keighley, with Adam Dent a late call-up for Brett Turner and Tommy Saxton replacing the other winger, Austin Buchanan.

Divorty’s debut saw Mark Applegarth return to the middle unit, while Brad Hey, a little used sub on Saturday, replaced the rested James Morland at centre and Jack Anderson was also involved again, Ross Osbourne left out.

Dent, Divorty and Anderson’s inclusions meant there were no fewer than seven York-based players in the 17.

Coventry made four changes to the side that hammered Hemel ten days ago for only their second win of term, with wingers Harry Chapman and Hayden Freeman coming in and Elliott Holton and Dan Price going onto the bench.

Jono Miliszewski and Charlie O'Mara, both of whom bagged hat-tricks at Hemel, were among those out.

A romp looked afoot as Danny Nicklas’ kick-off spun into touch and Coventry, pinned back, erred in both their first two sets, meaning the first four minutes were all played inside their 20.

Smith duly got the scoreboard ticking.

However, this game was not to be one-sided against an ever-improving expansion club.

York turned the ball over cheaply on half-way and conceded a penalty, setting the platform for half-back James Redman to jink in.

Then Ben Dent, staying at full-back despite an inconsistent show on Saturday, fumbled a simple kick 12 metres from his own line to invite more pressure.

The Bears, too, knocked on but Wakefield warbler Crashley’s bizarre performance began in earnest as he gave a penalty for a shove by Ed Smith as he chased the loose ball – after the knock-on.

A long cut-out pass soon put Chapman in, Joel James goaling for a 10-4 Bears lead.

Meanwhile, every time York looked set to build pressure, a mistake, either by themselves or the officials, let the visitors off.

The hosts forced a dropout, but the kick bounced out of play.

Five penalties went the Bears’ way in the first 26 minutes, Crashley earning more boos.

A lucky ricochet also gave them back-to-back sets.

The Knights needed sparks from somewhere – and got them from usual suspects Jack Aldous, Ed Smith and Brining.

Aldous made the initial break and, when the ball was smartly switched right, Smith again finished well.

Then a refereeing call gave them a rare first-half boost – Chapman rightly sin-binned for kicking the dead ball away to prevent a quick 20-metre restart.

And Brining soon did as Brining does against these expansion clubs, forcing his way home from dummy-half.

Turner’s absence meant Nicklas was back missing goal kicks, but he could not miss this one from in front of the sticks. Indeed the half-back went on to finish with four goals from six, including one from the touchline.

It nearly got better on the half-time hooter as Hey expertly took Jonny Presley’s crossfield kick but he was denied the touchdown by excellent defence.

Debutant Divorty and Smith had linked well in back play – a sign of things to come?

Whether there was a half-time gee-up is unclear but renewed urgency on the resumption, fronted by Josh Tonks and Russ Spiers, led to Brining getting over again 60 seconds in, Nicklas goaling.

The likes of Ben Dent and Saxton had much better second-halves than first.

Two more questionable penalties offered the Bears a way back in, as did knock-on calls, Crashley earning more wrath from the Main Stand.

But just as the fans’ ardour was heating up, Smith superbly streaked clear and had Presley scooting up in support on his inside, Nicklas goaling.

Three minutes later, creator turned scorer as a Divorty offload made space and Smith steamed in to complete his treble.

There was still time for Crashley to come up with two crackers to gift Coventry full-back Jack Bass a consolation.

He firstly got in Spiers’ way under a high kick, so much so the ball bounced off his own back, yet he awarded Coventry the scrum for a knock-on.

Then, after arguably the game’s best tackle, by that man Smith, he bizarrely penalised him for laying on – ironically, given Coventry had been at it all night. Bass finished smartly.

MATCH FACTS

Knights 32 Coventry 14

Knights: B Dent 6, A Dent 7, E Smith 8, Hey 6, Saxton 6, Presley 7, Nicklas 7, Waller 6, P Smith 7, Aldous 7, Tonks 8, Divorty 8, Emmett 6. Subs (all used): Brining 7, Anderson 6, Spiers 7, Applegarth 7.

Tries: E Smith 4, 30, 67; Brining 38, 41; Presley 67.

Conversions: Nicklas 38, 41, 64, 67.

Penalties: none.

Sent off: none.

Sin-binned: none.

Coventry: Bass, Chapman, Medforth, Batchelor, Freeman, James, Redman, Morrison, Norman, Beddows, Thompson, Barratt, Beecham. Subs (all used): Brennan, O'Sullivan, Holton, Price.

Tries: Redman 9; Chapman 12; Bass 79.

Conversions: James 10.

Penalties: none.

Sent off: none.

Sin-binned: Chapman 35.

Man of the match: Ed Smith – the second-row enjoyed himself out in the centres with a brilliant hat-trick to lead the Knights to the two League One points four days after he so nearly won them the iPro Sport Cup.

Referee: Tom Crashley (Wakefield) – oh dear. Odd calls aplenty and once again allowed a team to lay on in too many tackles. Didn’t play off-sides much either. Duly, much of the fans’ “enthusiasm” was aimed his way, including after the final hooter. Awarding Coventry a scrum when the ball bounced off his own back was just brilliant.

Penalty count: 8-10

Weather: June 1 is supposed to signal summer isn’t it? Scarves were out.

Half-time: 14-10

Attendance: 451

Moment of the match: Ed Smith – staying at centre having been switched from second-row for Saturday’s iPro Sport Cup final – seems to enjoy it out there. His third try, on 67 minutes, brought him his first-ever Knights hat-trick in his 110th appearance for his home-town club.

Gaffe of the match: take your pick from referee Tom Crashley’s book of bloopers.

Gamebreaker: Coventry were still in it at 20-10 down and building some pressure partly thanks to referee Crashley’s performance, but Ed Smith streaked clear down the right and had Jonny Presley up in support to put his side three scores to the good with 16 minutes left.

Match rating: it was as to be expected so soon after an emotional cup final and a big game against the leaders to come a few days later – York were a bit subdued and big underdogs Coventry sensed as much, but the Knights still had too much for the visitors and got what they wanted, the two points.