YORK City Knights were hoping to put on a show against Oxford after their surprise home defeat in last year's corresponding fixture and the below-par performance, albeit in victory, when the sides met in April.

However, Jack Aldous got himself sent off for lamping Lee Land in the sixth minute, and, rather than blow away the expansion club with a free-flowing try-fest, James Ford's entertainers had to show off a different side to their character - doggedness and togetherness - to bag the all-important points with a 36-26 victory.

They also needed to show maturity to come up with big plays at key times, as their skill levels were below-par with too much cheap turnover giving regular fillips to an underdog side who, with 13 against 12, sniffed another shock and, even when behind, never went away.

The biggest play of the lot was probably the simple option chosen by Pat Smith with four minutes to go - deciding against going wide and instead giving big Jack Blagbrough a crash ball from short range with which to bulldoze over and finally settle nerves.

The result kept York second in League One, with the race for the top-five play-offs now effectively down to seven teams after Newcastle's shock defeat to Gloucestershire.

It was the second time York had had a man sent off against Oxford this season, Pete Aspinall having been red-carded on that previous meeting.

Scott Mikalauskas was the referee on that occasion, too, when he also sin-binned James Haynes.

He came in for more stick this time as Oxford were yet another team allowed to niggle away without the threat of the sin-bin putting a stop to it.

Nevertheless, while head coach Ford bemoaned the officiating and defended Aldous' actions, the 24-year-old prop should have known better than to react to Land's goading.

Deja vu, meanwhile, also struck Haynes, the Knights captain.

After that previous game against Oxford, the full-back was sidelined for 12 matches with injury. He departed this one on a stretcher with fears his season is over due to knee ligament damage.

Despite being a man down, York had the bulk of the early play but the visitors’ defence looked well-structured until their errors help the hosts go ahead.

Winger Andy Mattews spilled the ball near his own line and the Knights quickly spread the ball left where Ben Dent dived in.

Then Craig Cook, the veteran hooker, opted to go short side and immediately regretted it as York pounced, forcing Marcus Brooker into touch, and scoring from the scrum as Mark Applegarth put Blagbrough through, Haynes converting.

However, Oxford struck back after a 40-20 by Andy Speake. Centre Josh Nathaniel, briefly a York player last year, cut inside, despite an overlap, and got over.

Nathaniel was one of a few in Oxford’s ranks with York links, in addition to boss Tim Rumford, the former Heworth head coach back on his old Elmpark Way stomping ground.

They were without ex-Knight Danny Allan and fellow former Heworth favourite Jonny Payne, but Adam Withington, another ex-Villager was involved.

He was among the defenders beaten when York upped their lead.

Replacement hooker Kriss Brining was controversially deemed held up over the try-line, but, in the same set, Tyler Craig – who had an immediate impact in the centres after coming off the bench - offloaded expertly for Haynes to cross and convert.

However, a Ben Dent error on half-way set the position for a raid in which Cook hit back from acting-half, Kitson goaling.

Greg Minikin's individual brilliance direct from a scrum, plus Haynes' conversion, made it 22-12 on half-time, but they again handed Oxford easy territory as Josh Tonks erred on the resumption. It ended with Nathaniel crashing through again.

Then Dent fumbled a bomb and Oxford nearly levelled, big Jordan Andrade fumbling when crashing over.

Instead, Matthews cocked-up under a Presley kick at the other end and, from the scrum, Presley’s little pass had Tonks charging in on the angle. Haynes hit a post with the conversion from in front.

Then followed the try of the day – a superb 65-metre effort from Minikin after picking up a loose ball as Oxford attacked.

After the long hold-up as Haynes was stretchered off, the game got scruffy, with Oxford scoring again after another York error, this time Nev Morrison failing to take in Dent’s pass on the burst. Big prop Danns fought over, Kitson coverting.

Danny Thomas had a try ruled out for offside but there was no flag when Kitson’s measured kick was taken by Andrew Hoggins, who cut the gap to 30-26 with 11 minutes left.

The momentum had shifted and, after a Blagbrough error, Oxford could easily have scored again as Andrade burst through and tried to off-load, only for the ball to come loose and the officials to award a knock-on.

Andrade was lucky to stay on the field after a foul-mouthed outburst at the nearest touch judge.

But the Knights regathered themselves and Blagbrough's short-range try sealed matters.

 

MATCH FACTS

Knights: Haynes 7, Morrison 8, Morland 6, Minikin 8, B Dent 7, Presley 8, Howden 8, Applegarth 8, P Smith 8, Aldous 4, Cunningham 6, Tonks 8, Blagbrough 8. Subs (all used): Brining 7, Nicholson 8, Roche 8, Craig 8.

Tries: Dent 13; Blagbrough 20, 76; Haynes 31; Minikin 40, 52; Tonks 48.

Conversions: Haynes 20, 31, 40; B Dent 76.

Sent off: Aldous 6.

Oxford: Thomas, Matthews, Nathaniel, Brooker, Gardiner, Kitson, Speake, Tyson-Wilson, Cook, Evans, Withington, Hoggins, Land. Subs (all used): Mignacca, Danns, Andrade, Biscomb.

Tries: Nathaniel 25, 42; Cook 35; Danns 63; Hoggins 69.

Conversions: Kitson 25, 35, 63.

Man of the match: Greg Minikin – the centre scored two solo tries, one from a scrum and the other a brilliant 65-metre counter-attack after picking up a loose ball, and was often the team’s go-to guy as the 12 men, who didn’t help themselves with some unforced handling errors, looked for individual magic in addition to undoubted teamwork and togetherness.

Referee: Scott Mikalauskas (Leigh) – the early red card for Jack Aldous was understandable but he was another referee who allowed a team to niggle away. As if to show a dislike for having the game speed up, he whistled several times to stop York in their tracks after quick restarts simply because Oxford weren’t ready. Decided against carding Jordan Andrade, too, after a foul-mouthed outburst at a touch judge. Not hot on offsides.

Penalty count: 11-4

Half-time: 20-10

Weather: pleasant

Attendance: 519

Moment of the match: Greg Minikin’s second try was as important as it was brilliant. With the game in the balance and Oxford attacking looking to close the gap again, the ball went to ground 25 metres from York’s line. Minikin, seemingly the only one alive to it, picked up and streaked upfield before bamboozling the covering Kyle Danns and having the pace to get to the try-line before the speedy Nathan Kitson could catch up.

Gaffe of the match: Oxford forward Lee Land is known as a feisty character and there was always a chance he might chirp and goad from the off. Jack Aldous quickly fell for his pugnacious nature, though, punching him in reaction at something or other in a ruck and being sent off inside six minutes.

Gamebreaker: It wasn’t until Jack Blagbrough’s second try on 76 minutes, Pat Smith wisely employing the crash ball from close range, that York fans could breathe easily.

Match rating: Jack Aldous’ sixth-minute red card made for a closer encounter than anticipated but at the same time a scary afternoon for York fans as Oxford, big underdogs but with tails up, also gave it a good go, at times punishing Knights for cheap turnovers, more so than some spectators might have anticipated.