THE last time York City Knights faced a banana skin, they slipped up badly and lost to minnows Oxford.

This time, they not so much stepped over it but picked it up and chucked it in the bin.

The end result was a 56-10 thrashing of Gloucestershire All Golds, the biggest win of the season and a scoreline not many people would have forecast given the improving All Golds’ results this term and the Knights’ up-and-down form.

In between dodgy defeats, great wins have come against Rochdale and Doncaster but this was arguably the most complete performance, and it lifted James Ford’s men to ninth in League One, reigniting hopes this evolving team can get into not only the Super 8s but the play-offs too.

Like against Rochdale and Donny, the Knights were eager and efficient in defence, swamping the home team. League One’s top scorer Mo Agoro, the All Golds winger, barely got a touch of note.

But here they were better in attack too, barring a 15-minute spell after taking an early 18-0 lead, with good handling and good options causing the hosts plenty of problems - on-loan centre Nick Rawsthorne showing just how devastating he can be with four cracking tries.

The only downside was injury to scrum-half Harry Tyson-Wilson, who had to be helped off in the first half with knee ligament damage.

The Knights set the tone right from the kick-off, ganging up on the catcher and shoving him in goal to immediately force a dropout.

They kept Gloucestershire inside their 20 in their next set too and, although Josh Ward’s long kick took the Knights back to their own 25, the visitors broke down their left flank where Nick Rawsthorne gave Joe Batchelor the chance to stretch his legs – marking his return from a month out with a try inside four minutes.

Rawsthorne and Batchelor were among five changes in personnel to the side that fell in controversial fashion to big-spenders Barrow in the Challenge Cup a fortnight ago.

Back were fit-again full-back Ash Robson and back-rowers Ed Smith and Batchelor, along with Rawsthorne and dual-reg hooker Will Jubb.

Ford opted not to throw in former Hull flier Callum Lancaster, though the trialist, an eye-catching recruit in midweek, did travel as 18th man.

All Golds had made two changes to the side that lost to North Wales in the League One Cup semi-finals.

Steven Nield, on loan from Oldham, was back at full-back and second-row Lewis Reece, having re-signed from South Wales, made his third debut for the club off the bench. There was no place for on-loan Rochdale half-back, Jay Lobrein.

Coach Lee Greenwood reckoned the semi-final was Gloucestershire’s “worst 80 minutes” of the season, yet they lost only on goals to a side that had twice beaten York this season. All Golds had also turned over Keighley and Workington this term.

The bookmakers nevertheless made the Knights favourites, giving the hosts an eight-point lead on the handicap sheet.

The bookies were only partly right, as that handicap was surpassed inside eight minutes when, after a penalty, Chris Siddons sent fellow front-rower Ronan Dixon to the posts - with Gloucestershire having yet to touch the ball in York territory.

It then became 18-0 on 12 minutes, when Rawsthorne scored a super solo try down the inside left, skipping through the defence and around the full-back.

York’s first mistake came on 15 minutes, Rawsthorne accidentally obstructing Mo Agoro under a kick, handing the hosts a penalty.

Excellent defence forced centre Brad Kislingbury – pinpointed by Ford as a dangerman – into touch, but for some reason the mistakes then began to flow.

The next proved costly – Ash Robson’s basketball-style pass inside his own half was called forward and All Golds’ attack ended with Welsh international hooker Steve Parry burrowing in.

Liam Harris’ restart then went out on the full, and soon Andy Ellis was pinged for a forward pass. In the Knights’ next attack, they chanced their arm too wide and Dee Foggin-Johnston was shoved out of bounds.

All Golds could not benefit, however, and when they erred in their own half, Nield losing possession at a play-the-ball, York extended their lead – Robson stepping in through a stretched defence.

They went close again as Tyson-Wilson kicked in behind. The deceptively speedy Batchelor got his foot to the ball first but Nield did enough to put him off.

All Golds missed the next chance. Former Barrow half-back Josh Ward’s pass put Reece away but his attempted pass to Agoro was poor.

The Knights then suffered that major blow.

Tyson-Wilson went close but after doing so had to be helped off injured.

It meant hookers Ellis and Jubb had to play more minutes and left Harris as effectively the sole half-back - but the transition was seamless, with the dual-reg stand-off simply superb.

Indeed, straight away his steepling kick brought the next score – it was spilled by Chris Barlow and Tommy Saxton gathered to give Jubb an easy score.

Harris also took over goal-kicking and added five to Tyson-Wilson’s three earlier conversions.

Then came arguably the try of the day, after the half-time hooter sounded.

The ball was transferred left and great hands got it to Foggin-Johnston.

The winger appeared to be bundled into touch again but somehow flicked the ball inside and amid a mass of bodies Rawsthorne collected for a 32-6 interval lead.

York began the second half like they had the first and scored again just two minutes in – Harris with a blistering solo try down the right.

Then, after a penalty, Rawsthorne got his hat-trick, shimmying through on the back of more good rugby.

Skipper Smith was next to score.

All Golds winger Barlow this time caught a high Harris kick but Smith stole it off him and brushed aside the cover, Ward getting injured in the process.

Then Rawsthorne got his fourth try, beating one tackle, straightening up and sprinting home.

A penalty gave All Golds a rare attack and they benefited as Kislingbury blasted home.

But that was of minor cheer for the small home support and only the referee’s whistle denied York the last word, Foggin-Johnston having a try on the final hooter ruled out for a forward pass.