IF your glass is half full, then it's a case of job done. If it's half empty, then an awful lot of improvement is needed if 2006 is to be a gainful season.

York City Knights yesterday achieved their first aim of the year of qualifying for the Northern Rail Cup knockout stages. But it has not been the most convincing passage, and the 16-16 draw with Featherstone underlined that fact.

Getting through this group would have been deemed a fine success last season, but the trappings of being National League Two champions include higher expectations, and this season's achievement is thus diluted.

More austerely, those trappings also include a higher level of competition and, based on yesterday's performance, plus previous showings, notably at Sheffield and Hull KR, the Knights will need to up their game considerably if they are to avoid the danger of yo-yoing back down to NL2 next season.

However, if anything was learnt of last season's Northern Rail campaign, it is that it doesn't necessarily provide a telling pointer towards the league.

Moreover, boss Mick Cook is aware of his side's shortcomings, which were most apparent yesterday in a first half devoid of attacking impetus.

Half-back Scott Rhodes often tried to inject urgency but his forced pass helped to put Featherstone in front as the ball was intercepted and, from the attack that followed, Fev centre Brian Sutton crossed. Prop Stuart Dickens goaled well.

York came closest when John Smith twisted to the line, but the ball slipped away under pressure and, with the wind in their faces, the hosts struggled to build territorial advantage.

They were also thankful to Matt Blaymire for keeping the deficit down. Fev broke down the left and had two-on-one but as Steve Dooler crashed through by himself at the line, the York full-back superbly forced the knock-on.

York were not helped by referee Colin Morris' leniency towards lying-on and offside, but they did not help themselves as they carelessly lost the ball on half-way and then gave away a penalty which Dickens booted for an 8-0 half-time lead.

The hosts had the wind after the break but were lucky they didn't fall further behind as Fev prop Ian Tonks got a great ball out to Carl Hughes which Morris deemed was just forward.

Errors kept York pinned back and also made sure the game lacked fluidity, until Blaymire inspired their first score with a remarkable run to the red zone, where Jimmy Elston benefited from a bit of luck - the ball was knocked from his hand - to collect the loose ball and touch down.

York visibly upped the tempo and Rhodes, who had threatened without an end product up to then, gave a fine scoring pass to Golden.

The hosts had waited 50 minutes for their first points, and a further seven for their first penalty. But when it finally came, and took play downfield, Elston's excellent cut-out pass put Blaymire over.

After three tries in nine minutes, it looked like York would power to victory, but then came a controversial moment which brought Fev back into it. Visiting captain Dickens was held up over the line and when Paul Thorman rolled the ball away as players got reassembled for the play-the-ball, Dickens struck him in the face as he lay on the ground.

The officials, or at least a touch judge, saw enough to put it on report but nevertheless let play continue and, as York protested, Fev made use of broken spaces to score in the corner through Dale Wynne.

Apart from reducing the gap, the score broke up what fluency York had created and the visitors equalised with six minutes left as Paul Hughes dug over from acting-half.

Dickens missed the conversion, while Rhodes faltered with two drop-goal attempts at the other end to ensure a second draw in three meetings between the sides.

Match facts

Knights: Blaymire 8, Clarke 6, Spicer 6, Law 6, Farrell 7, Rhodes 7, Thorman 6, Sullivan 7, Liddell 6, Bovill 6, Smith 7, Golden 7, Paterson 6.

Subs (all used): Elston 6, Buckley 6, Blanchard 6, O'Loughlin 6.

Tries: Elston 50; Golden 55; Blaymire 59.

Cons: Thorman 50, 55.

Penalties: None.

Drop goals: None.

Sin-binned: None.

Sent off: None.

Rovers: Moss, McHugh, Sutton, Kirmond, Wray, Weeden, Fawcett, Tonks, P Hughes, Dickens, Dooler, Crouch, Nicholson.

Subs (all used): Swinson, Wynne, C Hughes, Carlton.

Tries: Sutton 9; Wynne 62; P Hughes 74. Conversions: Dickens 9.

Penalties: Dickens 34. Drop goals: None.

Sin-binned: None.

Sent off: None.

o Man of the match: Matt Blaymire Solid as usual at the back, ran the ball out of defence well, set up one try with a great run and scored another.

HT: 0-8 Referee: Colin Morris (Huddersfield).

Rating: Famously went a whole game last season without awarding a penalty, and his whistle was again conspicuous by its absence.

Penalty count: 3-2 Gamebreaker: More a group-breaker than a gamebreaker, Matt Blaymire's 59th-minute try meant that, although Fev could and would come back, they would not get the result needed to qualify, whereas York would.

Moment of the match: Matt Blaymire's extraordinary run where he stopped, started, stopped and started for about 35 yards, which set up Jim Elston's try.

Attendance: 1,318 Weather watch: Breezy but pleasant.

Match rating: Well-contested but not nearly enough free-flowing rugby.