BOSS James Ford had predicted a close encounter as York City Knights finished their regular League One campaign at old rivals Keighley – and he was right.

The Knights had edged the Challenge Cup tie between the sides early in the season but Paul March’s Cougars hit back when it mattered, winning the iPro Sport Cup final in that Blackpool thriller.

March’s men, despite being on the back of three straight defeats and there for the taking with a weakened side and plenty of errors in them, won this one too, again by not much, 34-28.

Along with costly York gaffes at either end, Ben Dent and Andy Smith the culprits, it was conversions that proved the difference – as was always going to happen at some point this term given York’s propensity to miss them.

Both sides notched six tries, in another ding-ding battle, but Danny Lawton booted five goals and Danny Nicklas – on goalkicking duty with youngster Harry Tyson-Wilson left out – only two.

Aside that, both teams at times seemingly tried to lose the game rather than win it, such were the mistakes and timing of them.

The Knights had already been assured a top-four place and, with Rochdale beating Doncaster, they would have finished third regardless of this result - meaning away games at the top two, Toulouse and Rochdale, in the Super 8s, plus now another awkward trip to Cougar Park.

The biggest relevance of defeat therefore is the lost two points that get carried over into the next section of the season. Going into it on the back of two defeats is also a concern.

The Knights had been given a boost when Paul Handforth, the orchestrator of their defeat in the iPro final, pulled a calf and joined the other crocked Cougars.

But many supporters were still checking the teamsheets when the hosts went ahead on 22 seconds.

Nicklas’ kick-off was fielded and shifted to winger Andy Gabriel who outstripped Tommy Saxton and full-back Ben Dent.

Saxton had been set to miss out due to back spasms but was called up as Austin Buchanan rolled an ankle and was a late withdrawal.

Saxton played outside James Morland, who was recalled at centre and duly struck back, after the Cougars coughed up possession in their next set. York spread the ball well, Dent sending Morland in.

Saxton then gave York the lead. The ball had gone to ground off a Keighley hand but, rather than take their time with another set, Dent smartly sent a long ball wide and Saxton cut back inside to crash over.

In other changes to Ford’s side, Halifax loanee Sam Smeaton was back, meaning Ed Smith reverted to second-row and Andy Smith to the wing, and Adam Robinson went onto the bench.

Harry Carter was also in at hooker for Pat Smith, and Brad Hey was back on the bench, in for Jordan Crowther whose recall by Wakefield was a midweek blow. Hey, though, didn’t get on the pitch.

Big Brett Waller was still out, this time with a heel problem, Rich Wilkinson again omitted.

Morland nearly scored a spectacular second.

He went around Gabriel and looked to beat full-back Ritchie Hawkyard – only for Hawkyard to force him towards touch, making him unable to ground the ball while leaping beside the flag.

York stayed on top – until a howler from Dent gifted the Cougars the lead again.

The full-back initially did well to prevent a penalty going into touch but when he ran into contact, the ball fell out and Brendon Rawlins had a simple finish.

Then an Adam Brook 40-20 gave the Cougars another attacking platform, from which Milner’s cut-out pass caught out Andy Smith – the 31-year-old still getting used to match action – and saw Campbell dive in.

Smith, though, struck back on half-time with his first try for the club in his third outing.

Clever work by Jonny Presley gave Smeaton the chance to superbly slip the ball to the former Bradford winger.

However, Keighley made it 22-14 early in the second half in similar fashion to their opener.

If Ed Smith had seen Dent on his inside York could have scored but the second-row went for a little kick and regretted it as Campbell fielded it on his own line and scorched to the other end.

Morland struck back.

The Knights appeared to be cornered on their last tackle but fast hands allowed Morland to spin away from Lawton and dart in.

Then Ed Smith atoned for his earlier kick by brilliantly giving Mark Applegarth a try.

Presley’s little kick took the hosts by surprise and Smith superbly picked up and slipped the ball to Applegarth in one movement, the Player of the Month for June doing the rest. The pass looked forward but it was great skill nonetheless.

Nicklas’ conversion eked York 24-22 ahead.

It should have been 28-22 as Smeaton superbly gave Andy Smith a sitter but the winger, having to catch the ball and put it over the line, dropped it.

Instead, Keighley retook the lead. March was demanding they kicked a penalty to level matters but his men instead ran it – and scored through Rawlins.

York again struck back to equalise after another Cougar error, this one by James Feather.

Smeaton this time ignored Smith and drove three tacklers away as he got to the line superbly.

But Feather then won it, after the hosts regained possession from a short kick-off, the hooker catching York sleeping as he dug in from dummy-half.

MATCH FACTS

Keighley 34 Knights 28

Keighley: R Hawkyard, Gabriel, Lawton, Martin, Campbell, Brook, Milner, Walker, Feather, Rawlins, D Hawkyard, Ollett, Lindsay. Subs (all used): Cherryholme, Oakes, Bailey, Peltier.

Tries: Gabriel 1; Rawlins 26, 70; Campbell 36, 44; Feather 75.

Conversions: Lawton 1, 26, 44, 70, 75.

Penalties: none.

Sent off: none.

Sin-binned: none.

Knights: B Dent 6, A Smith 6, Smeaton 8, Morland 7, Saxton 8, Presley 7, Nicklas 7, Spiers 6, Carter 7, Aldous 6, Tonks 7, E Smith 6, Emmett 7. Subs (all used): Brining 7, Applegarth 7, Robinson 6, Hey not used.

Tries: Morland 4, 50; Saxton 12; A Smith 40; Applegarth 56; Smeaton 73.

Conversions: Nicklas 40, 56.

Penalties: none.

Sent off: none.

Sin-binned: none.

Man of the match: Sam Smeaton – both centres excelled on their returns to the line-up, with Halifax loanee Smeaton getting the nod for his try and skilful assists, just ahead of James Morland who himself scored twice and head the beating of his opposite number.

Referee: Jamie Bloem (Wakefield) – too many slow rucks but he had confidence in his decisions.

Penalty count: 4-5

Weather: heavens opened at kick-off, then closed, then opened again in the second half, rain coming through the dilapidated main stand roof at Cougar Park.

Half-time: 18-14

Attendance: 631

Moment of the match: Andy Smith’s try – his first since his return to pro rugby league – came on the back of a fine attacking set and some excellent sleight of hand by Jonny Presley and Sam Smeaton. It also gave York a lifeline on half-time, pulling them back to 16-14.

Gaffe of the match: Ben Dent did well to prevent a home penalty going into touch, patting the ball inside and then gathering, but when he ran into contact, the ball slipped out and Brendon Rawlins had a simple finish to end a period of York dominance and hand the hosts a 12-8 lead and the initiative. Andy Smith’s second-half miss, when he could have put his side two scores ahead, was a similar howler.

Gamebreaker: the Knights appeared to have bagged a share of the points with Sam Smeaton’s 73rd-minute try, extras being missed, but Keighley won the ball back on the restart and James Feather dug in from dummy-half to give his side victory at the end of another ding-dong encounter between these two old rivals.

Match rating: there were too many errors from both teams to call this a classic but they again served up a thriller – the Cougars having the edge to go 2-1 up in the mini-series between the sides this term.