IT might not be a statistic to be particularly enraptured by, but York City Knights’ recent resurgence means they have now set a club best of six league wins in a season at this Kingstone Press Championship level.

They enjoyed only five in 2006, a relegation season, and managed only half a dozen in the last two years put together, when relegation was avoided only by default.

Yesterday’s thoroughly deserved 32-12 win over Keighley also brought back-to-back league wins for the first time since 2011, it coming seven days after the 40-12 defeat of Doncaster signalled a much-needed return to form for Gary Thornton’s men.

The most important stat, however, is the fact yesterday’s three-point haul, allied to last week’s, with no bonus points conceded, has opened a four-point gap to this year’s drop zone.

Peculiar results elsewhere – notably the Dons’ victory at Featherstone and Workington’s win over Leigh, plus a few bonus points here and there – meant they have neither climbed back into the top eight nor put sizeable space between themselves and those below.

But it is easy to see now why Thornton put so much emphasis on these two home games amid this ultra-tight Championship season: defeat would have left them cut adrift at the bottom, never mind eyeing a place in the play-offs.

He deserves praise for cajoling them back into action after a five-game losing streak and a host of points conceded, as do the players themselves, whose spirit and desire has been back in abundance this past fortnight, with yesterday’s eager defence regularly driving the Cougars back or forcing a turnover.

The team’s return to form has coincided with that of Nathan Freer and Simon Brown.

The former came in for criticism on his return from rugby union but, after coming back from injury, has provided much-needed size and punch up front.

Stand-off Brown, having been dropped, was back in the side and back in the league’s ‘Team of the Week’ last week, and he continued in similar vein this week – showing more than enough fight at one point when he and Ollie Pursglove were sin-binned for some fisticuffs which sparked a melee shortly before half-time.

Aside from that incident, his half-back partnership with the dashing, darting Ben Johnston is presently as it was planned to be.

The whole team, though, have lifted their performance, led by second-row Sam Scott, who ran and tackled hard all day long and was rewarded with a fine try, created by Brown’s sleight of hand.

This was York’s second try of the game and no more than they deserved.

The first had been a beauty, from George Elliott, another player who has rediscovered his form – being named the sponsors’ man of the match yesterday.

The winger, after excellent centre play from Jack Briscoe, deftly cut inside from the right and breezed through a gap before avoiding Cougars full-back Danny Jones so easily it seemed the Welsh international was running through water.

Keighley complained the gap had appeared thanks to some obstruction by referee George Stokes but those claims were duly waved away and Tom Carr booted his second conversion.

The Cougars’ defence had otherwise kept them in the game in the first half, York’s only real worry being the fact their dominance had not garnered more reward.

The hosts had to withstand some Keighley pressure on the restart before extending their lead with a second Elliott try, this one arguably better than his first.

Johnston took on the line and sneaked out a pass to Briscoe deep in his own half, before Briscoe sent Elliott sprinting home again, showing the once pacy Paul White a clean pair of heels.

It was still only 16-0, though, and that gap seemed insufficient when the Cougars got a roll-on following the reintroduction of big Andy Shickell in a three-man forward reshuffle.

Shickell powered over and, three minutes later, a Jones grubber saw James Haley finish well, Scott Leatherbarrow going both.

Keighley also had a good chance to take the lead, wasted by Leatherbarrow’s poor kick.

Nerves were fraying a little, before calmness, and superiority, was restored by an unlikely source.

Hooker Jack Lee, often the man for this situation, was held up when attempting a trademark close-range try from dummy-half, but he somehow got out an offload and second-row Joe Pickets – in the 17 in place of the suspended Luke Stenchion – dug his way in. It was Pickets’ maiden try for the club in his second appearance.

Victory was then virtually sealed when Jack Aldous spun like a top before planting the ball beside an upright, Carr converting both.

Keighley forged four consecutive sets in a bid to salvage a bonus point, but York’s goal-line defence excelled, before new recruit Dougie Flockhart sealed the spoils – and capped his rise into the rugby league ranks from the 15-man code – with an interception try, his first touchdown for the club.


Match facts

Knights: Carr 7, Elliott 8, Latus, 8 Briscoe 7, Flockhart 7, Brown 7, Johnston 8, Freer 8, Lee 7, Aldous 8, Pickets 7, Hadley 7, Scott 8. Subs (all used): Presley 7, Brining 6, Sullivan 8, Kent 6.

Tries: Elliott 13, 49; Scott 29; Pickets 65; Aldous 74; Flockhart 80.

Conversions: Carr 13, 29, 65, 74.

Sin-binned: Brown 37.

Keighley: Jones, White, Haley, Cosgrove, Williams, March, Leatherbarrow, Shickell, Feather, Hesketh, Pursglove, Chandler, Rawlins. Subs (all used): Parkinson, Jo Sheriffe, Law, Lynam.

Tries: Shickell 55; Haley 58.

Conversions: Leatherbarrow 55, 58.

Sin-binned: Pursglove 37.

Man of the match: Sam Scott – the second-row played so well despite carrying a niggling injury that he gets the nod.

Referee: George Stokes (St Helens) – tried to let game flow, though made curious decision to rule out a Flockhart try and bring it back for a York scrum.

Penalties: 4-3.

Half-time: 12-0.

Attendance: 1,006.

Weather: sunny and hot.

Moment of the match: George Elliott’s second try. Ben Johnston wriggled between two defenders near his own line and squeezed out a pass to Jack Briscoe, who made ground before giving Elliott the chance to outstrip Paul White.

Gaffe of the match: York so wanted to nil the opposition having failed to trouble the scorers themselves in the reverse fixture at Cougar Park, so will be disappointed a couple of below-par tackles, in an otherwise top defensive effort, allowed Keighley in.

Gamebreaker: Keighley had their tails up as they reduced the deficit to 16-12 with two quick-fire tries just before the hour mark, making the next try crucial. Up stepped Joe Pickets to get his first try.

Match rating: deserved win for a dominant York, who regathered themselves very well to counteract Keighley’s brief fight-back in fine fashion.