YORK City Knights’ League One play-off hopes took a blow as they crashed 33-12 to arch-rivals Hunslet in a derby clash which ultimately all got a bit bonkers.

The Knights got off to a great start with an Austin Buchanan try but soon became starved of possession as errors, coupled with Hunslet’s quick play and troublesome offloads, plus a few untimely penalties, got the Hawks on the front foot.

York’s defence wasn’t up to its usual scratch either as the visitors built a decisive 24-4 half-time lead.

James Ford’s men edged the second half but, with goalkicking again awry, were always behind the eight ball. Furthermore, with a plethora of inconsistent refereeing decisions - as well as their own patchy play - preventing chance of a fightback, it all went a bit mad in the final minutes as frustrations boiled over and the hosts finished with only 11 men.

Mike Emmett was sent off for something off the ball spotted only by hapless referee John McMullen, the usually genial Tommy Saxton was sin-binned for something said, and for a minute or so several crazy tackles flew in.

The only surprise was nobody was hospitalised and no more cards ensued - McMullen merely putting one other seemingly minor incident on report, as if admitting he hadn’t really a clue what was going on.

The result – and Hunslet did deserve it - kept alive the Hawks’ hopes of sneaking into the top five but saw the Knights drop to fifth, just one point ahead with three games to go.

Ford had Harry Carter back from injury but opted to go with the same 17 that had ended their losing run at Rochdale last week.

Hunslet were down to their last 19 fit players but had most of their big-hitters available, not least ex-Knights League One Player of the Year Jack Lee, fellow hooker George Flanagan, prop Michael Haley and a fast back line.

Half-back Simon Brown, fellow ex-Knight Austin Bell and Ayden Faal, Liam Mackay and the in-form Lewis Reed were sidelined. But all that might not have been a bad thing as Danny Thomas and, particularly, Danny Ansell impressed in the halves and Jake Normington had an immense game in the back row, a rare occasion Ed Smith was on the wrong end of a personal battle.

All that came after a fine start for York. Danny Nicklas’ kick off bounced up and out over full-back Jimmy Watson and they kept the pressure on to quickly break the deadlock.

Pat Smith – chosen ahead of Carter as starting hooker – was the architect with a cut-out pass to Brandon Westerman, who quickly put right-winger Buchanan in.

Thereafter, however, most attacks were sent down York’s left, leaving Jonny Presley and threequarters Westerman and Buchanan largely anonymous.

Smith’s decision to go down the short side did set up another break, though the attack ended as Smith’s kick went dead, McMullen awarding a 20-metre restart even though the ball got a touch from a defender on the way out.

However, the flow of the game changed after a huge slice of Hawks luck.

Ansell’s high kick landed in no-man’s land and, while James Haynes was favourite, it twice bounced horribly, giving the Knights full-back no chance and allowing Ansell a free run home.

Hunslet’s second try also had an element of fortune, given it followed some slipshod play.

Normington not only cleaned up poor passes but brushed off Ed Smith and got the ball out to Mvududu, who showed similar brute force to touch down despite Haynes’ attentions.

The lively Hawks, now the better team as errors crept into the Knights’ game, threatened again with a fine off-the-cuff move before the ball went to ground.

They were aided, too, by a harsh penalty for holding down just as a fine defensive set seemed to get the hosts back on track.

Another penalty for offside followed and, with free field position granted, a smart set move brought a try for Watson.

Another penalty – this one bought by Ansell for a late tackle by Westerman as he kicked for touch - gave the Hawks another chance, Richie Barnett’s kick and chase forcing another repeat set.

The Knights were made to pay as, with the defence stretched, Flanagan spotted the chance from dummy-half. Ansell’s fourth goal made it 24-4.

Ford’s men began the second half with renewed vigour but another controversial penalty – Brett Waller caught a loose ball from a ricochet but was deemed offside - again got the Hawks off the hook.

Then Waller’s knock-on and a penalty for a high tackle saw Ansell eke the lead up.

When penalties finally went York’s way, bringing the loudest cheer of the day, Kriss Brining got his regulation try from dummy-half.

However, McMullen then gave a knock-on against Emmett instead of a penalty for interference, and again momentum was lost.

McMullen won back some brownie points from home fans as he ruled out a Flanagan try, deeming him held up, but he soon lost them again, likewise denying Brining at the other end, just when a York score might have made things interesting.

The Knights finally did get a sniff thanks to a ludicrous dummy by Nicklas. With defenders running off bewildered, the half-back darted home.

He did it again soon after but this time Watson got to him, and Nicklas’ pass after the tackle was complete was deemed worthy of another Hunslet penalty, again relieving pressure.

If York’s hopes weren’t over after that, they were when – amid seven consecutive penalties the Hawks’ way - Lee twisted over.

Then followed the minutes of madness before Ansell sealed a deserved victory with a drop goal on the hooter.

*THE Knights’ rearranged match at home to Doncaster has been switched again, to Thursday, September 8, at 7.30pm, at Bootham Crescent.

MATCH FACTS

Knights 12 Hunslet 33

Knights: Haynes 6, Buchanan 6, Westerman 5, Craig 6, Saxton 6, Presley 6, Nicklas 7, Spiers 6, P Smith 6, Aldous 6, Tonks 7, E Smith 5, Emmett 6. Subs (all used): Brining 7, A Smith 6, Waller 5, Learmonth 6.

Tries: Buchanan 3; Brining 50; Nicklas 65.

Conversions: none.

Penalties: none.

Sent off: Emmett 75.

Sin-binned: Saxton 77.

Hunslet: Watson, Sanderson, Johnson, Mvududu, Barnett, Thomas, Ansell, Haley, Lee, Carbutt, Casey, Normington, Williams. Subs (all used): Flanagan, Robinson, Coventry, Kenga.

Tries: Ansell 12; Mvududu 20; Watson 30; Flanagan 38; Lee 73.

Conversions: Ansell 12, 20, 30, 38, 73.

Penalty: Ansell 46.

Drop goal: Ansell 80.

Sent off: none.

Sin-binned: none.

Man of the match: Danny Nicklas – he caused some problems and was by far the busier of York’s two half-backs, albeit if more or less every attack was sent down his left flank.

Referee: John McMullen (Wigan) –.plenty of oddball and, more so, horribly inconsistent decisions and, unsurprisingly, it all got out of hand, so much so people got frustrated even when he probably got something right. The Knights did, however, lose discipline; whether they merited a red and yellow card is a moot point.

Penalty count: 8-15

Weather: some sun, some cloud, plenty of breeze.

Half-time: 4-24

Attendance: 702

Moment of the match: the outrageous dummy thrown by Danny Nicklas with which he created a try for himself. Defenders were perplexed, like dogs playing fetch but wondering where a lost tennis ball had got to, and the half-back, seemingly surprised such a big gap opened up, darted home.

Gaffe of the match: it wouldn’t have made much difference to this match given the game was gone, but whatever Mike Emmett did to get sent off – word came back that it was persistent offending after an alleged little stamp followed an earlier swing which had missed Jack Lee's head rather than knocked it off - could affect future matches should video evidence go against him and he gets a ban. Then again, there didn’t appear to be much in it that deserved a red card.

Gamebreaker: the penalty awarded against Danny Nicklas on Hunslet’s line, when he offloaded with the tackle complete, came at a time when the Knights, having cut the deficit to 26-12, really needed to score again to maintain momentum. Instead, Hunslet took back enough control to comfortably see the game out.

Match rating: well, it had all sorts going on, especially in that mad finale, but it was a day largely of frustration for York City Knights and, in all truth regardless of the officiating, Hunslet deserved their victory.