JAMES FORD’S half-time team talks at Bootham Crescent must be pretty useful.

In York City Knights’ last home game, they turned an unsecure 14-12 interval lead against Coventry into a 64-12 demolition with a scintillating second-half show.

This time, they turned an 18-6 deficit against London Skolars – and a real threat to their winning run after a decidedly flat first period – into a 36-18 comeback victory and a fifth straight Kingstone Press League One success, lifting them to fifth in the table.

Stand-off Liam Harris led the scoring with two tries and 20 points in all, but it was the way the team as a whole turned things around that should be recognised, seeing off a Skolars side who, while in indifferent form, drew at Doncaster not long ago and have real aspirations for another shot at the Super 8s under bright young coach Jermaine Coleman.

Just how Ford awakened his men from a sleepy first half is anyone’s guess but it’s a fair bet he didn’t do it quietly.

He also sent them back out early for the resumption, but while they had to wait around for the second half to start, they did not do so after the whistle went, levelling things up inside seven minutes and going on to win the half 30-0.

Ford had made four changes to the side that won at Newcastle last time out – but not including new signing Samir Tahraoui.

The big prop injured in a knee at home, thus delaying his debut, and instead Bobby Tyson-Wilson returned to the 17 in place of dual-reg Kieran Moran, although he only came on around the hour mark.

Busy winger Dee Foggin-Johnston, centre Nev Morrison and fit-again prop Ronan Dixon were the other three to come in.

They replaced threequarters Callum Lancaster, following the end of his trial, and Nick Rawsthorne, who is back at parent club Hull, plus packman Liam Thompson, who has gone on loan to Coventry.

Rawsthorne’s cut and thrust – he bagged eight tries in his five appearances – was missed in the first half but when Morrison was replaced by Brad Hey, the left side attack had more purpose again, with Hey and Batchelor swapping and changing to good effect at centre and second-row.

A minute’s silence in respect of those who suffered in the recent terrorist atrocities was perfectly observed before kick-off.

Unfortunately, the Knights, barring a fifth-minute opener, stayed quiet for the remainder of the first period.

They had gone ahead with a well-crafted try.

Andy Ellis surged from dummy-half and had Chris Siddons on his shoulder, the prop taking the pass and sending Harris to the posts to touch down and convert.

However, Skolars hit back on 13 minutes.

A good kick by one-time Knights reserve half-back Jymel Coleman – brother of coach Jermaine - trapped Tommy Saxton in goal and, from the dropout, enough defenders were drawn to the ball to create a hole for Michael Sykes to cross.

York’s early enterprise had been turned round, with the Skolars gaining more than a foothold, then deservedly going ahead.

A penalty gave them the platform and another decent attack ended with Josh Allison crashing over.

York, slow in attack and lacking intensity in defence, needed something to turn the momentum.

A penalty at last gave them some field position, but the ball went to ground. Then ricochets after a little off-the-cuff chip and chase by Harris brought about another, but again the attack lacked cohesion and petered out.

The hosts were then hit by a howler from the officials which helped London go 18-6 up on half-time.

Dee Foggin-Johnston, coming out of defence, had the ball punched from his grasp. It also went backwards, Joe Batchelor scooping it up. But referee Steve Race, on the ill-advice of a touch judge, gave the visitors an attacking scrum for a knock-on.

From it, sub Sadiq Adebiyi got over, Coleman adding his third conversion.

Race left the field at the interval laughing with Skolars players – which wasn’t wise even if there was nothing in it.

It was York who were smiling in the second half, though.

An early Skolars error gave them an attacking set and, while Chris Siddons was just held back, Jonny Presley slipped Batchelor in.

Then Skolars’ restart went out on the full and Harris’s penalty on half-way took play deep into London territory.

A disjointed attack was tidied up neatly by Harris and Robson, and the full-back was there again after smart passes by Presley and prop Adam Robinson gave him the chance to score, Harris’ goal evening things up.

York then got a man advantage. James Haynes chipped down the right wing and, while the ball dropped harmlessly to the Skolars full-back, Haynes was taken out by Michael Brown, who was duly sin-binned.

York nearly took the lead from the penalty, Robinson penalised for a double movement under the sticks, but the free-kicks kept coming, won with a mixture of smartness and Skolars slips.

They could not break through the 12 men but, just before Small returned to make it 13 v 13 again, Harris knocked over a two-pointer to eke the hosts ahead on the hour.

The stand-off then got his second try.

He grubber kicked towards the corner and, as Small tried to shepherd the ball out, Harris stormed in and dived to touch down. His touchline conversion swerved in, the best of his five successes.

Harry Carter had done well as interchange hooker but it was brilliance by Andy Ellis, back on, that created the next try, deceiving defenders and giving Presley an easy finish.

Soon enough, Batchelor broke upfield and fed Hey, who had Presley inside him but opted to give Foggin-Johnston the try outside him.

York could not benefit from a 70-metre sprint by Hey following a Skolars handling error in a rare second-half attack, while the game was marred by a late red card for Lameck Juma for a forceful, dangerous foul on Robinson.

But the points had long been banked thanks to that super second-half turnaround.