THIS York City Knights team enjoy defending. Maybe too much.

James Ford’s men notched a sixth consecutive win with a 26-16 Betfred League One victory at Newcastle Thunder but they made it harder for themselves than it should have been, especially in a second half littered with errors.

Having built a 20-10 lead shortly after the interval, they seemingly decided to challenge their own defence for the rest of the match, regularly turning the ball over and giving the home team piggybacks upfield.

However, very much like at Doncaster last week, that defence was up to the task against dangerous opposition, keeping that lead intact before sealing victory with a late Kieren Moss try, and only then conceding a third score.

They received further reward after the game, too, when learning both Bradford and Oldham – the two favourites for promotion – had lost to Workington and Hunslet respectively, leaving the Knights joint-top on points with Donny and the Bulls.

Ford had made three changes to the 17 that battled to victory at the Keepmoat, plus a few positional changes - plus one big call.

Winger Tommy Saxton was out injured, while on loan St Helens hooker Aaron Smith was left out, and prop Chris Siddons rotated out.

In came dual-reg trio Matty March at half-back, allowing Ben Cockayne to revert to the wing, Will Oakes at centre, allowing Joe Batchelor to revert to second-row and thus Will Jubb to interchange hooker, and prop Josh Johnson.

The big call saw Ash Robson, a star at the back so often last season, left out of the 17, despite passing fit again.

That underlined not only Ford’s satisfaction at the form of Hull KR loanee Kieren Moss at full-back but also his faith in young winger Judah Mazive.

Both Moss and Mazive duly justified selections, capping their displays with crucial second-half tries – their fourth each of term.

Newcastle included ex-York captain Jack Aldous and fellow former Knight Rhys Clarke, now a Thunder stalwart, in their 17, as well as Castleford centre Tuoyo Egodo, who had a brief injury-curtailed loan stint at Bootham Crescent last year. York fans – and there were plenty of them – got their best view of Egodo here, with his two tries and one superb assist.

There was no place for ex-Knights Tyler Craig, Ben Dent and Danny Nicklas.

York had a great early chance after Tee Ritson dropped Marsh’s kick in front of his posts. Connor Robinson could have slipped Batchelor through but chose a different pass and the attack was diffused when Egodo caught a kick.

Newcastle, likewise, were handed excellent early territory but York’s defence carried on where it had left off last week.

That work was rewarded as the visitors opened the scoring in the eighth minute, after a decent break out of defence up the left by Oakes.

Andy Ellis got over from dummy-half and Robinson goaled – the in-form scrum-half going on to have a 100 per cent record again.

This was already shaping up to be another good League One contest, both sides having hitherto lost just once in the league.

York got another chance when winning the ball back from a kick, but Robinson’s long cut-out pass that put Cockayne in was called forward.

Further pressure could not be turned into points either, and instead Thunder equalised on 22 minutes, in their second real attack, on the back of an avoidable penalty for crossing on half-way.

Egodo, the powerful threequarter, backed himself from dummy-half down the short side, and crashed over.

Tom Shaw converted from the touchline.

Egodo’s next action, however, was to concede a penalty when moving off the mark at a play-the-ball.

Ellis, when he went for the line again, was this time held up. However, York, having stayed generally on top, did retake the lead just before the half-hour.

Batchelor again had a gap and this time Robinson found him with a delicious delayed pass.

It was top-scorer Batchelor’s sixth of the season, although he will be a doubt next week after departing late on here with suspected concussion.

Newcastle had not had much ball in York’s half but were given an attacking set as Moss lost possession 20 metres out – a rare mistake by the solid Aussie. Egodo again backed himself but this time got shoved towards touch and his panicky inside ball was fumbled.

Play returned to the other end where Robinson eked up the half-time lead to 14-6 with a 40-metre penalty after home prop Liam McAvoy yelled something ludicrous at ref Billy Pearson while the hosts were in possession.

The Knights stayed on the pitch for their half-time team talk and all looked swell on the resumption as their kick-off was allowed to bounce out.

However, that attacking platform was wasted as Jubb’s pass was harshly called forward, and it got worse as Jake Normington, when running out of defence in their next set, lost possession. It looked like it was ripped out but Pearson - not for the only time in the half – deemed it a loose carry and Egodo dived spectacularly into the corner.

Nevertheless, York struck back immediately.

Again Thunder failed to deal with Robinson’s restart and, from the scrum, Mazive broke a tackle and sped home.

Now 20-10, the hosts enjoyed a long spell of pressure as they sought a way back into it, much like Doncaster had done at the Keepmoat. York invited a lot of it too, be it with handling errors or penalties. They just could not get a set in the attacking half.

However, just like at Donny, the Knights' defence was superb.

The closest Thunder came was when Lewis Young went for the line but threw the ball down as desperate tackles got to him. Pacey half-back Young and full-back Ritson – both dangermen – were kept in check throughout.

Instead, half an hour after their previous try, the Knights sealed victory in a rare second-half raid.

Robinson made it with some wonderful footwork, dancing between defenders before sending Moss – as ever supporting on a shoulder – through to the line.

That wasn’t quite that as Newcastle finally got a third try, Egodo’s brilliant run and basketball pass sending Conor Fitzsimons through, Shaw converting. But the points were heading back to Yorkshire.