HOW long can York City Knights keep calling themselves “underdogs”?

Head coach James Ford has used that tag for all the testing games so far this season, against Hunslet, Keighley, Doncaster and now Rochdale.

But on each occasion they have upset those odds, this time winning 40-16 in an iPro Cup quarter-final cracker at Spotland – despite fielding a supposedly weakened team.

The first half ebbed one way then the other - Rochdale starting like a house on fire, York getting a foothold then getting on top, and then the hosts hitting back before half-time for a 16-16 interval scoreline.

But, with both teams hitherto unbeaten, something had to give – and it was the hosts’ record that went as Ford’s men built momentum in the second half, won it back whenever it drifted away, and finished with a flourish, scoring some stunning tries along the way.

The pick of them, initially, was Brett Turner’s first try, a superb old-fashioned winger’s finish down the touchline after an enterprising free play.

But that was usurped by his second, a truly memorable solo effort on the counter attack from inside his own half that effectively sealed victory just as the Hornets were threatening a way back.

James Morland gathered the loose ball and fed the 28-year-old 30 metres from his own line.

With defenders back-tracking, Turner twisted them in knots, then cut inside, then beat a couple more and then, when he should have given Jordan Crowther a free run to the line, he dummied and darted to the posts himself, finishing off with a swan dive.

Ford, watching from the directors’ box, wowed and cheered with the rest of the travelling support.

The final scoreline had looked far from likely in the opening stages.

Rochdale won the ball back from the kick off, then York conceded a penalty and, after Jono Smith drove close, Jordan Case was given a simple finish, Paul Crook goaling.

French international Ben Jullien, one of four dual-reg Warrington men in Rochdale’s line-up, scored next, Brad Hey struggling to get across as the ball was swept right.

It looked like the Knights’ unbeaten start to the season would end.

Ford had made a few expected changes. Full-back Richard Wilkinson and props Brett Waller and Mark Applegarth were left out due to niggling injuries, with fit-again Josh Tonks, Ben Dent, on his delayed 2016 bow, and debutant sub Jack Anderson coming in.

The size of Waller and Applegarth was being missed as Rochdale, led by big Samir Tahraoui, had the oomph up in the middle, but credit to York’s pack, who breathed in, breathed out and won the battle thereafter despite losing middle man Ryan Mallinder to injury with an hour still to play.

Russ Spiers was again prominent while Jack Aldous was his usual Mr Duracell self.

Furthermore, it was incomers Tonks and Dent who got the comeback rolling.

Early forays ended with little kicks being shepherded behind, but the Knights did score when a smart Danny Nicklas pass had Tonks storming home on a trademark line.

Dent then excelled too, taking a high Danny Yates kick on his own line under pressure while on the wing, before later edging York 12-10 ahead having switched to full-back - Jonny Presley the sublime creator, nipping through a stretched defence.

This try had stemmed from a mistake by veteran Hornets full-back Wayne English when dealing with a Nicklas kick. Indeed, the kicking games of Nicklas and Presley continually had the hosts on the back foot. The former had his shooting boots on again, too, finishing with six goals.

After Rochdale missed a chance near the sticks, York should have scored again themselves only for Hey to fumble the pass with men over.

Fellow centre James Morland was not to be so profligate. On the back of a penalty, York attacked and Morland backed himself and delivered a superb finish.

However, a couple of cruel refereeing calls went against the visitors as half-time approached and they couldn’t hold out to the hooter as Danny Yates’ grubber was touched down by Crook, who added the extras to equalise.

If that was a sucker punch, it didn’t tell, as the Knights retook the lead seven minutes into the second half with Turner’s first cracker.

They should have soon increased the lead but Tonks cut inside instead of feeding Austin Buchanan on his outside

The game was still in the balance as Rochdale, aided by a few more refereeing calls, got a roll on.

Nevertheless the Hornets could not find a way through, one defensive effort on their own line receiving a standing ovation from York’s travelling fans.

Then, after the run of home penalties ended, the Knights moved upfield where Spiers blasted through.

That brought breathing space with 13 minutes left.

It looked important as Rochdale pressed again - but then came Turner’s second, mesmeric try, which knocked the stuffing out of the hosts.

Dent bagged his second – not a bad way to return to action - and, after Chris Riley was sent off for silly dissent three minutes from time, Nicklas booted the two-pointer to seal a sixth-straight win.

One thing’s for sure - York won’t be underdogs in the semi-final against Gloucestershire All Golds.

MATCH FACTS

Rochdale 16 Knights 40

Rochdale: English, Riley, Jullien, Case, Lee, Crook, Yates, Moores, Tahraoui, J Smith, Philbin, Thompson, Evans. Subs (all used): McClurg, Biscomb, Hadden, Wilde.

Tries: Case 2; Jullien 7; Crook 40. Conversions: Crook 2, 40.

Sent off: Riley 77.

Knights: Turner 9, B Dent 7, Morland 8, Hey 6, Buchanan 7, Presley 9, Nicklas 9, Spiers 9, Carter 8, Aldous 9, Tonks 8, E Smith 8, Emmett 8. Subs (all used): Brining 8, Anderson 7, Mallinder 6, Crowther 8.

Tries: Tonks 14; B Dent 26, 74; Morland 36; Turner 46, 71; Spiers 67. Conversions: Nicklas 14, 26, 46, 67, 71. Penalties: Nicklas 79.

Man of the match: Jonny Presley – there were several candidates for this award yet again but Presley gets the nod for his smart kicking game, his hard work in defence, his control and his creation. This half-back partnership with the similarly effective Danny Nicklas is certainly coming on. Big raps, too, for the forward effort led by Mr Duracell Jack Aldous and Russ Spiers. And Brett Turner’s tries – wow!

Referee: Andy Sweet (Castleford) – couple of questionable calls before half-time that helped Rochdale get level and a few more in the second half, but otherwise okay.

Penalty count: 7-5

Weather: okay.

Half-time: 16-16

Attendance: 450

Moment of the match: It was great to see Ben Dent getting straight back onto the scoresheet (twice) in his long-awaited first appearance of the season, but the try of the game was an absolutely incredible effort from the man with whom he interchanged wing and full-back berths, Brett Turner. He had already scored one blinder from a free play from half-way involving Kriss Brining, Jordan Crowther, Ed Smith and James Morland. But that was topped with the killer try, an incredible 70-metre solo effort on the counter attack that twisted defenders in knots and was finished off with a swan dive under the sticks.

Gaffe of the match: York were perhaps caught cold early on by Rochdale’s power and speedy play.

Gamebreaker: Brett Turner’s incredible, incredible second try – on the counter attack as Rochdale threatened a way back into the game - stretched the Knights’ lead to three converted tries with only nine minutes left.

Match rating: a cracking cup tie between two sides who play rugby league the right way and who will surely be up at the top of League One come the business end of term. The final scoreline was maybe harsh on Rochdale, but some of York’s tries will be long remembered for the sizeable travelling crowd.