York City Knights 26 South Wales Ironmen 24

York: Robson 6, Brierley 6, Morrison 5, Batchelor 6, Foggin-Johnston 6, H Tyson-Wilson 7, Sowerby 5, Dixon 6, Ellis 7, Robinson 8, E Smith 7, Hey 6, Spears 6. Subs (all used): Carter 6, Milton 6, Porter 6, B Tyson-Wilson 6.

Tries: Foggin-Johnston 3, 10; Brierley 16; Ellis 27; H Tyson-Wilson 41.

Conversions: H Tyson-Wilson 16, 27, 41.

Penalties: none.

Sent off: none.

Sin-binned: none.

South Wales: A Gay, Y Parker, Edwards, Reece, Stringer, Owens, Emanuelli, Evans, Baller, Vitalini, Jones, Roets, Bateman. Subs (all used): Duffy, Chris Davies, I’Anson, Z Williams.

Tries: Gay 13, 46; Davies 40; Roets 51; Reece 60.

Conversions: Emanuelli 40, 60.

Penalties: none.

Sent off: none.

Sin-binned: none.

Man of the match: Adam Robinson – plenty of big bulldozing runs from the prop, knocking people over and knocking people off. York should have created more on the back of his efforts.

Referee: Liam Staveley (Bradford) – missed a few things but not too bad.

Penalty count: 10-4

Half-time: 20-10

Weather: sunny and pleasant.

Attendance: 750 est

Moment of the match: Tommy Brierley’s first-half try, after a 60-metre move. Andy Ellis and Adam Robinson saw a hole close to marker and the new hooker’s pass had the prop rampaging upfield like a wildebeest. Robinson was halted by South Wales full-back Andy Gay but he got the offload out and Brierley, like a slippery eel, beat the remaining defenders.

Gaffe of the match: Tommy Brierley went to full-back after Ash Robson departed but, early in the second half, fumbled a Paul Emanuelli bomb straight to Andy Gay, who sprinted home to bring the Ironmen right back into the game.

Gamebreaker: it was anybody’s game after South Wales came out of nowhere to get within two points but, with anxiety growing on and off the pitch, the game was only really up when Paul Emanuelli fumbled the ball inside his own half a minute from time, handing the Knights possession and territory.

Match rating: this game should have been dead and buried when York went 26-10 up straight after half-time. That it wasn’t made for entertainment but not the kind head coach James Ford would have wanted.