York City Knights 36 London Skolars 18

Knights: Robson 8, Saxton 6, Haynes 6, Morrison 5, Foggin-Johnston 8, Harris 8, Presley 7, Robinson 8, Ellis 7, Siddons 7, Batchelor 8, E Smith 7, Spears 8. Subs (all used): Carter 8, Dixon 6, Hey 8, B Tyson-Wilson 6.

Tries: Harris 5, 65; Batchelor 43; Robson 47; Presley 69; Foggin-Johnston 74.

Conversions: Harris 5, 43, 47, 65, 69.

Penalty: Harris 60.

Sent off: none.

Sin-binned: none.

Skolars: Melling, Nash, Allison, Juma, Brown, Jymel Coleman, Bishay, Sykes, Lawrence, Williams, Mbaraga, M Greenhalgh, Chester. Subs (all used): Driver, Faturoti, Bustin, Adebiyi.

Tries: Sykes 13; Allison 18; Adebiyi 40.

Conversions: Coleman 13, 18, 40.

Penalties: none.

Sent off: Juma 78.

Sin-binned: Brown 51.

Man of the match: It’s hard to overlook Liam Harris’ 20 points even if he, like most of the team, was quiet in the first period.

Referee: Steve Race (Wakefield) – overall not bad but he did make a couple of first-half howlers (he imagined a deflection off Ash Robson that gave Skolars a dropout, and, with the ill-advice of a touch judge, deemed Dee Foggin-Johnston to have knocked on when the ball was punched away by a defender, giving Skolars an attacking scrum from which they scored a third try). Leaving the field at half-time laughing with the away team probably wasn’t wise, even if there was nothing in it.

Penalty count: 13-4

Half-time: 6-18

Weather: warm with a gentle breeze, before a shower came late on.

Attendance: 782

Moment of the match: the Knights’ sixth and last try was perhaps the pick, Joe Batchelor breaking down the inside-left and feeding Brad Hey who in turn sent Dee Foggin-Johnston home for a deserved try.

Gaffe of the match: referee Steve Race’s decision to award Skolars an attacking scrum which led to their third try appeared to be a bit of a blooper, but the Knights’ lack of energy and intensity in the first half was of more frustration, with the Londoners deserving their interval lead with or without Race’s interjection.

Gamebreaker: after the half-time team talk helped to turn the game around, it was probably the Knights’ fourth try of the second period, crafted by the wily Andy Ellis and scored by fellow veteran Jonny Presley, which sealed the points, making it 32-18 with 11 minutes left.

Match rating: a flat first half from York, countered by decent rugby from London Skolars, was followed by a cracking second-half show, making for a decent enough spectacle all round and a fifth straight Knights win.