IT was a very close call and one which may lead to some debate but Jack Lee has claimed the first The Press Player of the Month award for 2014.

Lee Paterson - who tops many of the match stats in the Huntington Stadium ranks - and half-backs Jonny Presley and Pat Smith were all very much in the running, but Lee got the nod from The Press sports desk after a tie at the top of the readers' poll.

The deciding factor was the fact hooker Lee had played in each of the four games, performing consistently well throughout, whereas Presley, Smith and Paterson had each sat one game out.

When asked for his opinion, head coach Gary Thornton reckoned the Press readers had got it right.

"They're all good candidates," he said of the four front-runners. "I think the readers are pretty spot-on with that.

"Jack is a probably a good call. He's been consistently good, and he was outstanding last week against Swinton.

"He's also played a real captain's role and handled that extra pressure really well. He's led the team around the park and been a good example throughout."

The games in question for the March award were the Championship One wins over Gloucestershire All Golds, arch-rivals Hunslet Hawks and South Wales Scorpions, and the surprise Challenge Cup third round victory over Whitehaven.

Last week's fourth round defeat at Swinton, in which Lee was a standout man of the match, did not count towards his March success.

As for the other trio, Thornton said: "Pato has been outstanding. He's topped the tackle count and carry count every week he's played and he's done a lot of the unselfish stuff too, like pushing up in support and things that people don't always see. He tops those counts as well, helping out his team-mates.

"I've said before that Pat Smith has come to the club and been a breath of fresh air, whether he's played at half-back or hooker. He's offered something every week.

"I'm delighted with the contribution he's made to the group and to the team. He's been in good environments at Hull and Sheffield and what he does as a professional rubs off on other players.

"Jonny's an experienced player. He was outstanding against South Wales and deserved his (sponsors') man of the match and those four tries.

"There are two contrasting styles with Pat and Jonny or with Benn and Jonny, but they complement each other. Prez is more of a running half-back and those two have allowed him to play his own game a bit more."

JACK LEE'S Player of the Month accolade, which will be presented ahead of tomorrow's game at home to Oxford Cavaliers, has lifted him to the top of The Press Player of the Year leaderboard.

The 25-year-old skipper won this gong back in 2010 and was runner-up to Sam Scott last year. What chance he'll reclaim the crown this season?

He was awarded three bonus player-of-the-year points as our star man for March and these were added to the three points he gained as our man of the match at Swinton last week.

He now stands on eight points overall, four clear of Paterson.

Benn Hardcastle had a positive impact on proceedings last week, including the solo try that got the Knights back into the game, and he was deemed our second best player, so collects two player-of-the-year points.

Ryan Mallinder, another sub, also gets onto the leaderboard, collecting the remaining point after impressing as Jason Golden's early replacement.

The Press Player of the Year leaderboard: Lee 8pts, Paterson 5, Presley 4, P Smith 3, Bell 3, Haynes 3, B Hardcastle 2, Minikin 1, Morrison 1, Aldous 1, E Smith 1, Mallinder 1.

MARCH was also a fine month for Ben Dent.

The winger scored a try in each of the four matches, a run which he continued in the cup game at Swinton last week.

He is now the only player in all three professional leagues to have scored a try in each of his team's games so for this term.

The only other players to have scored tries in their team's last five games are St Helens' Tom Makinson (1-2-1-2-2), and Sheffield's former Knights favourite, Matt Garside (2-1-1-1-1).

What are the odds that the 22-year-old former New Earswick All Blacks amateur will continue that scoring sequence tomorrow?

THIS column mentioned recently how several ex-Knights were hitting notable milestones. Ian Kirke can also be added to that list.

The 33-year-old forward, who was launched into Super League by an eye-catching season with York's 2005 National League Two title-winners, had made 199 appearances for Leeds - winning a few Grand Final rings along the way - before their match with Wakefield last night.

Kirke, following a brief spell on loan at London Broncos, joined Leeds from York and made a try-scoring debut for the Rhinos in a 66-14 home win against Castleford on March 5, 2006.

THE Knights' under-20s reserves continued their winning run with a hard-fought 18-16 victory over an RAF XIII.

Mick Ramsden's young guns, featuring only a few overage players, had to come from behind to snatch the victory, having trailed 16-6 at half-time.

Luke Tomlinson gave the Knights the lead but a strong, athletic RAF side scored three touchdowns to go clear.

Scott Talbot, playing at full-back, got York back into it and prop Nathan Harper crossed for the decisive try.

Ryan Backhouse was the star man at loose-forward, pressing his claims for a first-team berth, as did back-rower Ben Crane, who kicked all three conversions, including the winning points.

Jack Pickles played as a replacement forward, despite his hernia/pelvic injury that has so far sidelined him this term, for which he went for a scan yesterday.

Trialist Lewis Farr also made his debut in Knights colours.