TWO debut tries for Adam Robinson and 16 debut points for Harry Tyson-Wilson helped high-flying York City Knights to a straightforward victory at Oxford, continuing their surge into League One’s Super 8s.

A much-changed team saw off the expansion club 50-6 and lifted James Ford’s men to second with three games to go before the competition splits into two.

A dead leg for stand-off Danny Nicklas marred the victory, but it also highlighted the wisdom in bringing Tyson-Wilson in from Hull in the first place.

Head coach Ford had said he felt “more comfortable” with a third half-back on the books in addition to Nicklas and Jonny Presley, and the teenager looked a talent here, albeit against weak opposition and with a few misplaced kicks thrown in, as he notched a solo try and six goals.

Harry Carter also made a welcome return from injury after six games out, the hooker injecting pace as well as no little quality.

Only ten of the 17 that beat Hunslet featured as Ford rested several aces – Ed Smith, Josh Tonks, Kriss Brining, Presley, skipper Jack Aldous and fellow props Brett Waller and Russ Spiers all left at home.

With those front-rowers missing, pressure was on the inexperienced shoulders of Jack Anderson and Jordan Crowther, who was shoved up front, plus the more experienced shoulders of Mark Applegarth and on-loan forward Robinson, who was making his debut along with fellow loanees Tyson-Wilson and Sam Smeaton at centre.

Was it a gamble to make so many changes?

Not really – Applegarth played a leaders’ role, lifting the intensity when needed in a game with little atmosphere, while Championship veterans Robinson and Smeaton seemingly found it all too easy.

That said, with trips to Keighley and, especially, leaders Toulouse to come, the French side having hammered the Cougars 82-6 on Saturday, they’ll hopefully not get lulled into a false sense of security.

Following a to-and-fro opening, a home error gave York possession on half-way and, after Pat Smith darted close from hooker, long balls to the left by Tyson-Wilson and Nicklas and a smart run round the back by Robinson saw the powerful second-row charge home for a debut try inside 13 minutes.

A second try should have followed after Crowther’s little pass saw Ross Divorty streak forward. A quick play-the-ball followed and Mike Emmett appeared to send Mark Applegarth home, only for the pass to be called forward.

It wasn’t long before they crossed again, though, Nicklas’ cut-out pass creating a massive gap through poor defence for James Morland to stroll round to the sticks, Nicklas goaling.

Adam Dent’s handling under kicks against Hunslet had been exemplary but he fumbled a massive bomb from Danny Allan to hand Oxford an attacking set. Tyson-Wilson also sent a kick out on the full, compounded by a penalty conceded by Emmett, to give Oxford more cheap territory.

But while York’s line-up might have changed, their committed goal-line defence was no different.

They then extended their lead on the back of a penalty of their own, Nicklas’ flat pass seeing Robinson crash through again.

Carter injected pace when he came on, going close with a smart dart which would have made a debut try for Smeaton from the play-the-ball – only for referee Billy Pearson top stop play for an Oxford head injury, allowing the defence to regroup.

The Knights still made it 20-0 on half-time – thanks to some fortune.

Adam Dent did excellently to win a penalty for offside from a 20-metre restart and another penalty immediately followed.

With Nicklas now off the field, Carter took the penalty but didn’t quite find touch. However, Oxford’s Luke Gardner, leaping by the touchline, merely patted the ball infield, for opposite winger Buchanan to collect and bag an easy try.

Tyson-Wilson took over goalkicking and notched the conversion.

The former England youth international, on loan from Hull, also got a debut try three minutes after the resumption, scampering in to reach the line - to spark a rapid-fire salvo of tries.

He soon set up the next. An Oxford fumble in their own red zone was picked up by Divorty and Tyson-Wilson timed his pass well enough for Adam Dent to score by the flag.

Then Carter broke through in centre-field with a super run, giving the scoring pass to Pat Smith.

Smith, now at half-back, dropped the restart to give the Knights’ goal-line defence some more work, but Oxford didn’t look like getting through.

Instead, the Knights enjoyed throwing the ball about and Tyson-Wilson’s inside pass saw Crowther power in.

Tyson-Wilson added all the extras, including a conversion from the touchline – looking much more confident from the kicking tee than Nicklas.

With the game won, York’s aim of keeping a clean sheet went as the left-side defence was stretched and Gardner showed rapid pace to sprint home.

Former Heworth ARLC star Danny Allan – one of four ex-Knights in the home team along with Josh Nathaniel, Ryan Backhouse and Casey Canterbury – added the extras.

Allan looked okay again against his home-town club but, playing with effectively a development team in front of a smattering of supporters is a tough gig for someone with a Leeds Rhinos background. It won’t be easy either for head coach Tim Rumford, the former Heworth boss.

Their team battled on - but York had the last word, Anderson finishing a fine team try, with Tyson-Wilson maintaining his 100 per cent record with the boot to bring up the half-century.

MATCH FACTS

Oxford 6 Knights 50

Knights: B Dent 6, A Dent 6, Smeaton 7, Morland 6, Buchanan 7, Tyson-Wilson 7, Nicklas 6, Applegarth 8, P Smith 6, Crowther 7, Robinson 7, Divorty 7, Emmett 7. Subs (all used): H Carter 7, Dale 6, Hey 6, Anderson 7.

Tries: Robinson 13, 31; Morland 19; Buchanan 40; Tyson-Wilson 44; A Dent 47; P Smith 49; Crowther 61; Anderson 77.

Conversions: Nicklas 19; Tyson-Wilson 40, 44, 47, 49, 61, 77.

Penalties: none.

Sent off: none.

Sin-binned: none.

Oxford: Cryer, Gardner, Gill, Casey, Nathaniel, Burnett, Allan, Backhouse, Canterbury, Harrison, Nicholson, Igbinedion, Brooker. Subs (all used): Withington, Hayes, E Carter, Griffith.

Tries: Gardner 67.

Conversions: Allan 67.

Penalties: none.

Sent off: none.

Sin-binned: none.

Man of the match: Mark Applegarth – with his usual front-row brethren left at home, a big onus was on the player/assistant-coach to take charge in the middle unit and the veteran duly brought plenty of quality, enthusiasm and nous.

Referee: Billy Pearson (Wakefield) – youngster on debut at League One level did pretty well.

Penalty count: 6-8

Weather: overcast

Half-time: 0-20

Attendance: 126

Moment of the match: Harry Carter’s break that set up a try for Pat Smith.

Gaffe of the match: Oxford winger Luke Gardner was tempted into trying to keep in play Harry Carter’s penalty to touch, leaping up to pat the ball infield, but he merely patted it to Austin Buchanan to give the veteran flier a stroll-in try on the stroke of half-time.

Gamebreaker: The three-try salvo at the start of the second half killed all Oxford hopes, taking an already comfortable 20-0 interval lead up to 38-0.

Match rating: with so little atmosphere at this small, open, school athletics track ground, it would be hard to lift the excitement levels for the small crowd present, especially with a one-sided match, but this was as straightforward a victory as York City Knights boss James Ford could have wished for given the changes to his line-up and the tough period the team have recently come through.