THERE won't be many days in the rugby league season as cold and wet as this one, so such conditions aren't really going to prepare teams for playing on hard fast tracks on hot summer days.

Slipping and sliding in the mud under sleeting rain in freezing temperatures is beneficial only up to a point.

However, York City Knights and hosts Featherstone Rovers would surely have gained a lot from this outing, the former in particular having their defensive structures and mettle overall tested by the Championship big guns - arguably the best part-time team in the land - before going down to a 22-12 defeat, a last-second home try putting more daylight between the scores.

That they pushed such a side so close can only be a positive for the ambitious League One outfit.

James Ford's men had to practise reshuffling, too, after losing both hookers to head injuries, Andy Ellis in only the second minute and replacement Harry Carter just before half-time.

Will Jubb, the squad's third hooker, was not in the 22-man matchday party, so for the second half Connor Robinson switched from stand-off, with the Knights playing the third quarter with just the one half-back, Brad Delaney, before former Heworth ARLC playmaker Liam Jackson entered the fray to mark his recent contract with his hometown pro club.

Given the conditions, neither side's completion rate was great.

Rovers' defence was also in York faces quickly throughout - quicker than most League One teams the Knights will go up against this year - and they hardly allowed them into home territory, Ford's troops therefore getting good practice, too, at battling out of 'D'.

They still managed two tries to Rovers' four, though, and, hopefully, their attacking prowess will get more exercise in next Sunday's final pre-season fixture, against League One rivals Hunslet.

That attack certainly looked competent as they went ahead inside four minutes.

Ellis' injury came in a collision which caused a Featherstone knock-on near half-way. A penalty soon followed and it set the platform for Adam Robinson to blast over, Connor Robinson goaling.

The try-scorer gave the hosts an immediate chance to reply as he dropped the restart but York's defence looked well structured from the off.

Prop Robinson also made some notable driving runs. However, when he went off, just before the quarter-mark, York immediately conceded.

Replacement Brad Clavering, playing on dual-reg from Hull KR, endured a sorry introduction, dropping the ball in his first hit-up then missing a tackle.

Rovers quickly scored as right-winger Luke Briscoe, who had missed a half-chance minutes earlier as York's defence shifted well, this time got over, sent in by big-money signing Martyn Ridyard.

In between times the conditions were highlighted when a kick drifted in the rain, full-back Ash Robson, under it, lost his footing, and winger Judah Mazive slid a good five metres or more in the mud as he covered the loose ball - only to be whistled offside.

On another occasion, Robson slid onto a kick to the corner and could do nothing to stop himself sliding straight off the pitch.

Rovers took the lead right on half-time, after a stoppage while Carter received treatment.

Former Leigh schemer Ridyard was the architect again, his little pass seeing second-row Connor Farrell power over. Ridyard's conversion made it 10-6 at the break.

The fact much of the first-half action had been at the top end of the Post Office Road pitch was shown by the state of the surface, that area having cut up much worse come the interval.

York faced the infamous slope in the second period, but handled it well.

They had chance to run through some moves on the resumption following Connor Robinson's excellent 40-20, but they twice kicked goalwards early in the tackle count, winning a dropout the first time but conceding possession the second.

When the game moved down the bottom end of the pitch, Adam Robinson pulled off a fine try-saving tackle on Frankie Mariano, while the left-side defence dealt well with a dangerous kick.

York's rearguard continued to shine after back-to-back penalties in the red zone, and they got reward after breaking out via a Connor Robinson interception.

Brad Delaney was taken out off the ball after kicking goalwards and, from the penalty, the visitors scored. Sub second-row Jake Normington got out a wonderful offload and Matt Chilton, on at full-back, finished with aplomb with his very first touch.

It was a third try in three outings on trial for the York Acorn amateur. Robinson, whose kicking game had been excellent throughout the second half, converted.

Chilton suffered a double whammy on 66 minutes, though, as Featherstone retook the lead.

Ridyard was again the creator, catching Chilton slightly out of position with a kick. The full-back slid in to cover but Farrell got to the touchdown first, with the Acorn ace coming off second best in the collision too, albeit continuing after treatment.

Featherstone should have sealed victory seven minutes from time when Ridyard put Farrell in again but that man Chilton kept York in the game this time with a cover tackle that caused a fumble over the try-line.

They did seal it on the final whistle, though, Mariano forcing his way over, Ridyard goaling.

Rovers: Thackeray, Briscoe, Hardcastle, Gale, S Robinson, Ridyard, Holmes, Wheeldon, Wildie, Moore, Farrell, Davies, Knowles. Subs (all used): Brooks, Maskill, Cooper, Mariano, Taulapapa, Hardman.

Tries: Briscoe 17; Farrell 40, 66; Mariano 80. Goals: Ridyard 40, 66, 80.

Knights: Robson, Cockayne, Butler-Fleming, Hey, Mazive, C Robinson, Delaney, A Robinson, Ellis, Horne, Batchelor, Scott, Spears. Subs (all used): Carter, Siddons, Ronan Dixon, Normington, Clavering, Chilton, Jackson, Hawkesworth, Douglas.

Tries: A Robinson 4; Chilton 66. Goals: C Robinson 4, 66.