IT had been touch and go whether Brandon Westerman would play for York City Knights against London Skolars after his granddad passed away in the week.

He took his place, though, and it was most fitting that he had a big hand in three of the Knights’ five tries - scoring the third and fourth and duly pointing to the heavens as he did so.

He was also only denied a deserved hat-trick by a touch judge’s flag at the end of a wonderful sweeping move late on.

Aside that flag, it all helped York net a 30-4 victory which, coupled with Hunslet’s defeat to leaders Toulouse 24 hours earlier, secured their place in the League One promotion play-offs - an achievement which should not be downplayed, no matter how they eventually fare, given all the off-field strife.

Skolars, for their part, have also done well this term, League One’s surprise package under one-time Knights half-back Jermaine Coleman, albeit without winning a game since making the Super 8s cut.

They looked tidy at times in possession but without the hard-nosed cutting edge of League One’s leading teams.

More so, however, they – albeit understandably - did their best to slow things up and spoil, often aided by Greg Dolan’s lightweight refereeing, and that all made for a scratchy encounter rather than an entertaining one, getting increasingly stop-start in the second half as a bit of argy-bargy and some particularly niggly fouls earned nothing more than a talking-to.

No matter, the main thing was the result, only York’s second win in five games, and one which lifted them back into fourth place above Doncaster, who visit on Thursday.

That match could decide who ends fourth, though where anyone goes in the play-offs won’t be decided until next Sunday’s last round of fixtures.

Ford made two changes in personnel to the side that lost to Hunslet, with hooker Harry Carter and fit-again prop Mark Applegarth back in for Pat Smith and Andy Smith. Applegarth’s 200th domestic appearance in British rugby league was cut short, though, due to injury.

Additionally, Ed Smith - for once overrun by an opponent last time out, Jake Normington starring for Hunslet - switched to centre, and Westerman to second-row. That switch paid off, both players scoring and both being contenders for man of the match.

The first chance also came via Westerman charging down a kick and smartly regathering.

Fast hands from Danny Nicklas helped spread the ball left where Tyler Craig seemed to stretch over, only ref Dolan deemed he’d let the ball slip.

Skolars were miss-handling more, the first ten minutes played almost exclusively in their half, but the Knights could not quite click against structured defence, and were denied another try when, from Jonny Presley’s smart inside kick, a fumble presented an easy opportunity, only for Dolan to this time rule offside.

Nobody could deny Smith with the next chance.

After Dolan had no option but to penalise London twice - the first for holding Kriss Brining down after the hooker’s break and the second for interference at Tommy Saxton’s play-the-ball – the ball was shifted right where Smith crashed through.

Craig converted – like he did all five of York’s tries, including from out wide. Goalkicking was clearly not a problem today.

The second try came after Westerman swept up a loose ball at one end – Skolars erring in attack – and sprinted 80 metres. Westerman, showing decent pace, maybe should have pinned his ears back but looked for support and was hauled down.

That particular attack fizzled out but Smith’s big tackle straight after the Skolars’ resultant scrum maintained the field position and Danny Nicklas dummied and darted through.

The Knights lost Austin Buchanan to injury early in the second half – like Applegarth’s departure a big concern for the play-offs – but extended their lead soon after.

Nicklas created the try with a cut-out pass that found the defence wanting, Westerman having a clear run home.

It was then Skolars’ turn to be denied a try by Dolan, full-back Oscar Thomas – their standout player – collecting Charlie Lawrence’s reverse kick only to be deemed offside.

The decision atoned for the officials’ failure to spot a blatant forward pass early in the set.

The game needed a spark and it came in the form of pantomime villain Aaron Small getting unnecessarily involved in some afters, duly causing a melee, and then smiling at the crowd as he was given nothing more than a talking-to by the referee.

The Skolars should have been next to score, but Westerman pulled Eddie Mbaraga’s shirt off the ball as the big loose-forward looked sure to touch down Jy-Mel Coleman’s smart kick.

Dolan awarded only a penalty and Skolars soon erred, the chance gone.

Mike Emmett was next to have a try ruled out, James Haynes’ sharp pass from dummy-half ruled forward.

But York did get a fourth try, Westerman cutting inside and through to the line as the defence parted like the Red Sea faced by an onrushing Moses.

Their fifth came in bizarre fashion too.

The play appeared to break down a few times, to such an extent big Brett Waller had no option but to kick on the last tackle – probably for the first time in his career that his boot had touched ball.

A ricochet gave York the ball back and this time Craig, now out on the wing, used his football skills again to nudge it inside where Waller touched down, capping the prop's best all-round display for some time.

Westerman was then denied the try of the game, and one of the best of the season, following a sweeping team move launched by James Haynes. Russ Spiers sent Westerman goalwards but Coleman’s desperate tackle forced the youngster to put a foot on the whitewash, at least according to the touch judge.

York still looked set for a clean sheet but Craig erred under Oscar Thomas’ kick and Skolars winger James Hill picked up to score.

MATCH FACTS

Knights 30 Skolars 4

Knights: Haynes 7, Buchanan 6, E Smith 8, Craig 7, Saxton 7, Presley 6, Nicklas 8, Learmonth 7, Brining 7, Aldous 7, Tonks 6, Westerman 8, Emmett 7. Subs (all used): Carter 7, Applegarth 6, Waller 8, Spiers 6.

Tries: E Smith 21; Nicklas 27; Westerman 45, 68; Waller 73.

Conversions: Craig 21, 27, 45, 68, 73.

Skolars: Thomas, Nash, Small, Juma, Hill, Coleman, Lawrence, Dollapi, M Bishay, Williams, Fatacooti, Mbaraga, Robinson. Subs (all used): Driver, Gray, Sykes, Druce.

Try: Hill 78.

Man of the match: Brandon Westerman – there were a few players in the running but it’s fitting the young Castleford loanee should get the award after his best performance in a Knights shirt and his first two tries for the club, all following the death in the week of his granddad. He deserved the hat-trick he just missed out on.

Referee: Greg Dolan (Dewsbury) – many decisions were actually good but he didn’t do much for a fast-flowing game, also allowing Skolars to lay on far too much and earning supporters’ wrath when harshly – and ironically - penalising York for holding down.

Penalty count: 10-8

Weather: mild, with a very little shower just after kick off and sunshine later on.

Half-time: 12-0

Attendance: 448

Moment of the match: it should have been Brandon Westerman’s hat-trick try on the end of a brilliant, sweeping move, but a touch judge deemed he put a foot in touch. Instead the best moment was Westerman’s second try, a solo effort cutting inside from left-centre. Brett Waller’s try was an ad lib cracker, too.

Gaffe of the match: Tyler Craig should have taken Oscar Thomas’ kick but fumbled, allowing Skolars’ James Hill to bag a late consolation try.

Gamebreaker: Brandon Westerman’s second-half double stretched York’s lead from 12-0 to 24-0.

Match rating: too scratchy and stop-start as Skolars slowed things down with referee Greg Dolan’s apparent consent, but it was all about the result and York’s place in the League One play-offs, and that was never really in doubt after the Knights went ahead.