THE Championship One league title was already in the bag and, leading 26-10 at half-time against London Skolars, York City Knights' last game of the regular season also seemed won.

Thereafter it was a case of negotiating the last 40 minutes without incident to not only enjoy the occasion - the league leaders' trophy was presented on the Huntington Stadium pitch post-match - but also go into the promotion play-offs in the best possible heart.

The Skolars, though, had other ideas, despite having nothing to play for.

As York took eyes off the ball and got sloppy, Skolars stepped up a gear and closed the deficit to four points at 32-28.

Moreover, the match a few times threatened to boil over, not least after the half-time hooter as Ben Reynolds reacted to alleged gouging in the final tackle of the half. Referee David Sharpe had a job to calm things down before sending the players to the sheds and putting the incident on report.

There were other times when pushing and shoving could have escalated, for example when five Skolars ganged up on Benn Hardcastle in back play, and York boss Gary Thornton admitted being concerned one of his troops might react and get themselves sin-binned, sent off or, worse, suspended for the semi-finals.

As it turned out, the Knights' party was not spoiled.

The team, perhaps having turned thoughts to the play-offs, refocussed on the job at hand and, with three minutes to go, in-form James Saltonstall made up for an earlier error that led to a Skolars touchdown by scoring a magical solo try to seal a 38-28 victory and make sure the club record winning run continued.

Moreover, unless new evidence comes to the contrary, no-one allowed themselves to be drawn into unnecessary shenanigans.

The only slight worry concerned Ryan Backhouse, with Sharpe relaying a possible need for league chiefs to scan video evidence of him running in to defend a team-mate amid a set-to. It would be a shock, though, if Backhouse's 21st birthday today were to be spoiled.

The other good thing was the Knights were given a decent test on their return to action after three weeks without a game.

The Skolars arrived with only one half-back - the busy Halifax loanee Danny Yates - and deployed big former Featherstone forward Lamont Bryan at scrum-half. The ploy hampered their kicking game but Bryan's ability to bust tackles and get decent ball out was a threat.

The extra size in the visitors' side also made for a bruising encounter and their enthusiasm on what, for them, was a dead rubber, was laudable. Obviously York will have much tougher games to come, but, as preparation games go, this was pretty good.

An easier game looked in store in the first minute as Benn Hardcastle marked his return from his loan spell at Gateshead by immediately scoring a superb solo try, dummying through from 30 metres.

Hardcastle, replacing, Jonny Presley had re-formed a half-back partnership with the ever-busy Pat Smith, while Ben Reynolds, who had to sit out the previous win at Hunslet due to his call-up by parent club Castleford, switched to full-back in place of the crocked James Haynes.

Elsewhere, second-row Ryan Mallinder was rested, while big Austin Bell got some good game-time.

Skolars levelled through Martyn Smith, set up by Bryan and goaled by Yates.

But, after Pat Smith had a 90-metre interception effort disallowed for offside, York retook the lead through Reynolds courtesy of some superb handling in back play, not least from Tyler Craig - who had a fine first half - and Lee Paterson.

Pat Smith had another try controversially ruled out as he collected a loose ball after Skolars full-back John Paxton had dropped a high kick just before being tackled. Ref Sharpe deemed the collision came as Paxton leapt for the ball.

Another penalty aided London further, as, with numbers over on the right, Kazeem Fatouri-Edwards crossed.

However, Greg Minikin made it 18-10 with a superb individual effort, after cleaning up a loose pass, Ed Smith got in on the act with a try, and more brilliant running rugby league saw Reynolds get his second for a 26-10 half-time lead.

In between times Saltonstall raced onto his own chip to touch down only for Sharpe to bizarrely award York a penalty for obstruction.

The second half was London's.

Martyn Smith scored from dummy-half and, although Kriss Brining responded in kind, home errors set up Mufaro Mvududu, and a Yates kick saw Fatouri-Edwards score again, Yates’ goals making it 32-28.

Skolars were the likely victors but this York side were not going to let their winning run end.

Saltonstall went from dummy-half, handed off men on either side and zigzagged home, Reynolds adding his fifth goal.

Both Saltonstall, on loan from Warrington, and Reynolds, on dual-reg from Cas, are not York's players, but the way they celebrated both that try and the title triumph showed they are truly in the Knights clan.

The sidelined Haynes, meanwhile, ignored any rib pains to lead the loud "Knights go marching in" chants after the trophy was raised.

The celebrations will be more raucous if he does the same in two weeks' time and again in the Grand Final at Headingley on October 5.


Match facts

Knights: Reynolds 7, Saltonstall 7, Craig 7, Minikin 8, B Dent 6, P Smith 7, Hardcastle 6, Brennan 6, Lee 6, Roche 7, Backhouse 6, E Smith 7, Paterson 6. Subs (all used): Brining 7, Aldous 7, Bell 7, Tonks 7.

Tries: Hardcastle 1; Reynolds 16, 37; Minikin 27; E Smith 34; Brining 51; Saltonstall 77.

Goals: Reynolds 1, 16, 27, 51, 77.

Sent off: none.

Sin-binned: none.

Skolars: Paxton, Greenhalgh, Fatouri-Edwards, Mvududu, Tuffour, Yates, Bryan, Pelo, M Smith, Sykes, Cox, Lovell, Williams. Subs (all used): Robinson, Purslow, Wellings, Druce.

Tries: M Smith 8, 48; Fatouri-Edwards 23, 65; Mvududu 58.

Goals: Yates 8, 48, 58, 65.

Sent off: none.

Sin-binned: none.

Man of the match: Greg Minikin - it was a tough one to call in a mixed performance, but young Minikin’s class shone through again, not least with his magical try out of nothing. Super League surely beckons (though hopefully not for York’s sake).

Referee: David Sharpe (Australia) – his last time reffing York was in an easy game at South Wales. Here he seemed to struggle to keep tabs on everything in a more feisty encounter. The decision to rule out a James Saltonstall try for obstruction by London was curious.

Penalty count: 6-5.

Half-time: 26-10.

Weather: very pleasant.

Attendance: 643.

Moment of the match: some of the first-half tries were based on brilliant team rugby, but the pick for sheer individual magic was Greg Minikin’s effort, cleaning up a loose ball facing the wrong way and somehow weaving and dodging a way through from 30 metres.

Gaffe of the match: James Saltonstall’s ill-judged pass to Benn Hardcastle went to ground, giving Mufaro Mvududu the chance to boost the Skolars’ fightback.

Gamebreaker: James Saltonstall’s superb match-clinching effort with three minutes to go, matching Greg Minikin’s earlier solo score.

Match rating: probably a bit too feisty for Knights boss Gary Thornton’s liking with the play-offs to come, and York’s second-half performance was bitty, but it was a good encounter to watch and Skolars deserve credit for putting a lot into it, especially their second-half comeback. Another disappointing attendance - these players deserve far better - but the crowd created a good atmosphere.