YORK City Knights boss James Ford has been having to bite his nails a fair bit in recent weeks as his team played out tense, narrow victories on their way to joint-top spot in Betfred League One.

There was no such tension this time, though, as his troops simply had too much for London Skolars and racked up an eye-catching 66-6 success – their biggest league win since trouncing minnows Hemel 68-6 last July, and third biggest since dropping back to League One in 2013.

Indeed, he even had time to wave and blow a kiss to his young daughter in the stands during a short stoppage in play in the second half, such was his contentment and comfort in the state of affairs on the pitch.

Ford’s team had already begun to enjoy themselves by this point, with enough dominance having been gleaned to afford them time and space to score some belting tries in a total of 11 touchdowns – winger Judaz Mazive heading the stats with a hat-trick, to draw him level with Joe Batchelor on seven for the season.

The Knights had been favourites, of course, but to win by such a scoreline is no mean feat against a side who probably have it in them to cause a shock or two.

They managed it, too, despite Ford resting veteran front-line props Graeme Horne and Adam Robinson, and also being without Player of the Year second-row Batchelor due to concussion.

Such are the players currently at his disposal, Super League prop Jordan Walne debuted on dual-reg from Hull KR in place of club-mate Josh Johnson, while young St Helens loanee Aaron Smith was recalled as interchange hooker, with Will Jubb standing down.

Mike Kelly replaced Batchelor in the second row, while props Chris Siddons and Dan Hawksworth were recalled.

There was one change in the backs – Ash Robson earning a recall, with Ben Cockayne reverting to stand-off in the absence of dual-registered Matty Marsh.

The hosts gleaned most of their rewards in the second half but the scoring started inside six minutes.

After an incursion down the left took them close, the ball was spread right where Jake Normington’s offload went to ground and Mazive smartly picked up and popped it down in the corner before the defence could react.

Two penalties later, Andy Ellis scored, from dummy-half, an easy try for a hooker of his stature.

Connor Robinson had missed the first conversion attempt – only his third miss in his last 26 goal attempts. He was bang on thereafter, though, with his first of 10 conversions making it 10 points in as many minutes.

This Skolars side, however, put 76 past a beleaguered West Wales Raiders last week and their attacking abilities, with inventive duo Neil Thorman and Jy-Mel Coleman in the halves, were soon to the fore, after the Knights could not stop the restart bouncing out.

Field position set, hooker Billy Driver delayed his pass perfectly to put pacey full-back Elliot Hall through untouched, veteran playmaker Thorman converting.

The restart went out on the full to invite added pressure but York survived this attack, before getting back up the other end and having a third try of an exciting to-and-fro opening quarter disallowed.

Mazive dived spectacularly into the corner but full-back Kieren Moss’s long pass was called forward.

The try-scoring waned before Moss – having now interchanged with Ash Robson at wing and full-back - lit up the Main Stand with a break from defence that was only halted by the similarly speedy Hall.

The ball was transferred right where Scott twisted over - kicking off a period of home dominance that took the game away from the Londoners.

Hawksworth’s first involvement after entering the fray was to set up a try – blasting through a tackle and delaying his scoring pass to Moss only in order to knock over the full-back too.

Then it was Ronan Dixon’s turn to go on the charge. He probably picked the wrong passing option but a penalty for holding down was despatched by Robinson on the half-time hooter for a 24-6 lead.

Moss got his second try straight on the resumption, finishing off a wonderful move from half-way involving Smith, Cockayne and Normington.

Robson then had a try ruled out for a forward pass as Ford’s men became more expansive – the scores soon coming thick and fast as the hard work of the first half began to tell on the Londoners.

A 40-20 by Cockayne – how many of them will he have had in his career? – set the platform for a Smith score from dummy-half, Walne’s drive and quick play-the-ball giving the hooker the chance.

Stocky centre Oakes scored the solo try of the match from the restart – shooting off down the left flank and backing himself to turn on the boosters and brilliantly beat Hall on the outside.

Not long after, Mazive got his second score with what is fast becoming a trademark finish – spectacularly diving into the corner and getting the ball down while in mid-air to evade the tackle into touch.

The Skolars were a beaten side in all senses as Smith soon got his second try from dummy-half to bring up the half-century just after the hour mark.

A 40-20 by Robinson then set the platform for a Dixon try. The prop, just back on the field, found himself in the unfamiliar position of acting-half – and chose the most straightforward option of picking up and running over the defenders from close range.

The Skolars gathered some pluck to go close twice after winning possession back from a short restart.

However, Mazive soon completed his hat-trick with another individual cracker – gathering a loose ball 30 metres out and somehow beating several defenders, to cap an excellent day’s work all round.