THERE were rumours at Cougar Park that Paul March’s player-coach job was at stake if his Keighley side lost to his old club, York City Knights, in their League One opener.

It all looked in the balance, too, heading towards half-time, as the Knights deservedly led 12-10, aided by a big defensive effort in the run-up to the break.

However, those labours, along with some key refereeing calls, appeared to take their toll after the resumption, as, once they fell behind, they were unable to change the momentum and went down to a 28-12 loss, handling errors helping to keep them largely pinned in their own half.

Whether the result is enough to save March's job, time will tell, but the 35-year-old – whose side are probable favourites for the title but have endured poor pre-season results and early cup exits so far - certainly did his bit on the pitch, having lifted his side when entering the fray.

One positive for York is they don’t seem far away. Had Liam Cunningham sent in Ben Dent instead of holding on to the ball, and had the touch judge rightly ruled out Paul White’s second try for the hosts, the Knights could have gone in at half-time 18-4 up.

Had a couple of refereeing calls gone their way – Gareth Hewer penalised York for reefing when he could easily have awarded a knock-on – second-half momentum may have switched.

But, aside the ifs and buts, the Cougars had the edge and Knights boss James Ford will know his considerably younger side need to kick on further if they are to challenge for promotion come the business end of term.

His side began superbly as a cut-out pass put Cunningham into space down the inside left and he sent Pat Smith scampering home, James Haynes converting.

Keighley soon forced a dropout, though, and, after dragging men in, Danny Jones’ long ball put White into the corner.

The Cougars built pressure, too, the next five minutes being contained in the top end of the pitch that York were defending.

York sprung out through Nev Morrison – the team again finding space on the fringes – and Smith’s smart kick brought a scrum ten metres out.

They then had a great chance as Dent was stood in acres by the touchline but Cunningham opted to go for the line himself, and the door closed.

Keighley’s goal-line defence was as good as York’s had been.

The game was getting increasingly physical, which is when the strengths of the benches could come into play.

York’s included three players with only one appearance between them this season, utility forward Jack Iley in particular looking a bit rusty in his new role at hooker, and prop Jay Leary, also in his season debut, doing a job but with little impact.

Conversely, when March came on at hooker for Keighley, their game immediately sped up and they were soon ahead as White got his second try – albeit thanks to two ludicrously forward passes.

The touch judge was right in line with both but bizarrely kept his flag down.

Wales international half-back Jones converted.

York hit back immediately.

Jesse Sheriffe fluffed Pat Smith’s high kick and, from the scrum, Jonny Presley stepped past Ollie Pursglove to leave the second-row on his backside and score a cracker against his former club, Haynes goaling.

York somehow kept the lead until half-time.

Rikki Sheriffe was twice denied by desperate defence on the try-line, Jones had a try ruled out - Hewer calling play back for a Keighley scrum - and Paul Handforth was held up by the posts on the hooter. York second-row Josh Tonks had also chased back to diffuse a loose ball.

Each time a try looked nailed on, defensive commendations going to Greg Minikin, Presley, Ed Smith and Haynes, among others.

The game had not been as fiery as expected, with the Cougars particularly clean.

The first half's only three penalties had gone their way and, when they got another at the start of the second half, it allowed them to build pressure again, this time going down the Cougar Park slope.

York held out on that occasion but, when Nev Morrison dropped the ball coming out of his own 20, Keighley were not to pass up the gift, second-row Josh Lynam bursting through.

York began to invite pressure.

Iley was adjudged to knock-on at dummy-half – harshly – while Aldous fumbled the ball for the second time in the game.

Keighley benefited as White patted down a kick – backwards according to Hewer – and Rikki Sheriffe scored.

Then Cunningham lost the ball after a good run and Dent conceded another penalty. Keighley had the position again, Scott Law scored, and, with a quarter of the game to go, that was that.

Hewer gave Keighley a penalty for reefing – another harsh call – but justice was done as Jones, after three second-half conversions, this time missed the easy goal.

Nevertheless, the Knights never looked like scoring again.


Keighley: Jesse Sheriffe, Duffy, Lawton, R Sheriffe, White, Jones, Handforth, Law, Feather, Rawlins, Lynam Pursglove, Lindsay. Subs (all used): Cherryholme, Jode Sheriffe, Bailey, P March.

Tries: White 10, 26; Lynam 46; R Sheriffe 54; Law 60 Conversions: Jones 26, 46, 54, 60.

Penalties: none.

Sent off: none.

Sin-binned: none.

Knights: Haynes 7, Morrison 6, Minikin 8, Cunningham 6, B Dent 6, Presley 8, P Smith 6, Applegarth 7, Brining 7, Aldous 6, Tonks 8, E Smith 7, Pickles 6. Subs (all used): Roche 6, Leary 5, Iley 5, Nicholson 6.

Tries: P Smith 5; Presley 29 Conversions: Haynes 5, 29.

Penalties: none.

Sent off: none.

Sin-binned: none.

Man of the match: Greg Minikin – half-back Jonny Presley was the game’s standout player in the first half but he could not influence things in the second with his team on the back foot. Minikin, meanwhile, never stopped working and won all his individual battles in the centres.

Referee: Gareth Hewer (Whitehaven) – very good first half (though a touch judge failed to flag a ridiculous forward pass which led to a home try) but there were a few questionable decisions in the second.

Penalty count: 7-4.

Half-time: 10-12.

Weather: damp and second-half rain made the pitch even slower.

Attendance: 903.

Moment of the match: Jonny Presley left Ollie Purglove so dizzy with his step and go for York's second try that the Keighley second-row was still getting up and trudging back to his team-mates behind the goal-line as James Haynes stepped up to add the conversion.

Gaffe of the match: some of York's second-half handling errors proved costly, but the biggest gaffe came from the touch judge as he failed to put his flag up for two forward passes that gave Paul White his and Keighley's second try – the second of which was so far forward it would have ended in next week had the winger not caught it.

Gamebreaker: York, leading at half-time after a fair bit of goal-line defending, needed to start the second half on top but errors kept them on the back foot and the Cougars’ first try after the resumption, while it only eked them ahead, set them on their way, with the Knights unable to threaten a turnaround.

Match rating: the first half was an excellent game of rugby league, York edging it as momentum swung back and forth, but the second half, with errors creeping in under a drizzly rain, belonged to Keighley.