York City Knights 26-12 Keighley Cougars

Knights: Robson 7, Mazive 6, Normington 7, Hey 7, Moss 7, Cockayne 7, C Robinson 7, Horne 9, Jubb 9, Johnson 7, Batchelor 8, Scott 8, Spears 7. Subs (all used): A Robinson 7, Siddons 6, Roche 8, Jackson 6.

Tries: Spears 7; Normington 26; Batchelor 42; Jubb 53.

Conversions: C Robinson (4/4) 7, 26, 42, 53.

Penalties: Robinson 69 (1/2)

Sent off: none.

Sin-binned: none.

Keighley: Hawkyard, Aaronson, Barnes, Ryder, Gabriel, Hardcastle, Fairhurst, Kenga, Wright, Bailey, Whiteley, Tonks, Emmett. Subs (all used): Law, Lynam, Tahraoui, Gaylor.

Tries: Whiteley 17; Barnes 63.

Conversions: Hardcastle 17, 63.

Penalties: none.

Sent off: none.

Sin-binned: none.

Man of the match: Graeme Horne – the former Hull KR prop showed power, composure and class throughout his time on the field, his first stint in particular helping to lay the platform for the victory. More than a mention for Will Jubb, too, who played the full 80 minutes at hooker.

Referee: Tom Grant (Dewsbury) – inconsistent over the 80 minutes and unclear why a try at either end was ruled out, especially Judah Mazive's spectacular finish in the corner for York.

Penalty count: 11-8

Half-time: 12-6

Weather: okay.

Attendance: 1,481

Moment of the match: Joe Batchelor’s length-of-the-field try. Like in previous matches this season, the tall second-row scooped up a loose ball around his ankles at speed and then showed that notable pace for a packman as he kept the cover in his wake 90 metres to the other end. Seems Super League big guns St Helens have had scouts watching him.

Gaffe of the match: Connor Robinson curled the second-half kick-off straight over the sideline. However, while that gave the Cougars an attacking set with which to perhaps forge an equalising try, it ended with Joe Batchelor’s ‘moment of the match’ try that made it 18-6.

Gamebreaker: when Will Jubb made it 24-6 after 53 minutes with York in the ascendancy, there was not going to be a way back for a Cougars side that had hitherto fed largely on scraps and sought points against the run of play.

Match rating: it might have been a better spectacle had Keighley not tried to slow it down so much, seemingly struggling to keep pace with the Knights. Bit niggly too. York absolutely deserved the win despite, after a bright opening, not really being able to get going.