South Wales Scorpions 16, York City Knights 18

The dead-eye full-back kept his nerve, and showed a sure foot, to fire a 79th minute penalty straight through the uprights from 35 metres and edge the Knights to a narrow 18-16 win.

It was a victory they had to grind out, following a second period defined by missed tackles and silly penalties, but it will fuel head coach Dave Woods’ belief that, if they can cut out the mistakes, they could go far in the play-offs.

They certainly didn’t lack for heart and started as they finished – making their mark at The Gnoll after just four minutes.

Following a Scorpions transgression, Jack Lee spotted a gap, jinked one way and then reversed the other into space.

Chris Thorman took the pass and fed Matt Duckworth, who finished off a great move.

But the Knights’ initial joy was tempered three minutes later when Scott Woods was stretchered off in a neck brace.

The scrum-half was the victim of a late hit from prop Gil Dudson, after launching a high ball, and there was a ten minute delay while Woods junior received treatment before being taken straight out to an ambulance.

The injury looked serious at the time and its effect was to unsettle the Knights as they tried to find their bearings.

That the Scorpions didn’t level matters in the immediate aftermath was down to poor judgement.

They should have scored through Jamie Murphy midway through the first-half when the right wing was the man over in a brilliant position. Kear’s pass was forward, to the huge frustration of The Gnoll faithful.

The Knights themselves had a try disallowed when Duckworth was judged to have been offside when touching down Chris Thorman’s kick through after 23 minutes.

But having knocked at the door, Scorpions soon crashed through it.

They reduced the deficit with Lloyd White’s penalty before, on 32 minutes, a kick ahead bounced awkwardly for Ratcliffe.

He was grasping and flailing as Andrew Gay stepped sideways, collected the ball and sprinted in to touch down.

Having fallen 8-4 behind, the Knights conjured the perfect response and it was player-coach Thorman who again showed his class.

It followed a trademark barnstorming run from Jack Stearman, who barged and burrowed his way through the Scorpions defence.

The ball was worked right and Thorman, collecting a pass with two defenders in front of him, stepped, swerved and dragged his way over the line for the try.

Waterman missed the conversion, but secured the Knights a 10-8 lead at the break when slotting through a simple penalty as the hooter went.

With the outcome in the balance, the second period descended into a scrappy, niggly affair – marked by knock-ons, poor handling and penalties.

From one such error, a penalty for interference, Lloyd White should have levelled on 59 minutes but he skewed a gettable penalty horribly wide of the right post.

There was no stopping the Scorpions at this stage, however, and they took the lead a minute later.

Murphy did the hard work, turning through a series of despairing Knights defenders in a 25-metre burst.

From the play the ball, the home side went through the tackles culminating in Liam Roach rumbling through to score.

White, managed to find the middle of the posts this time and, with 20 minutes left, the Knights trailed 14-10.

With their credentials on the line, the Knights had to step up. What they produced was a wonderful try with 11 minutes remaining.

Thorman’s change of pace created it – his sudden acceleration catching the Scorpions’ defence off-guard. He went in between a glut of defenders and, as Roach tapped his ankle, Lee was there for the offload and went through a big gap in the defence.

The Scorpions defenders stopped him a metre short, but Lee stretched out his arm and planted the ball just over the line.

White thought he had rescued a draw for the Scorpions when putting through a penalty with three minutes to go after the Knights interfered with a play the ball.

But they hadn’t counted on Ratcliffe, who never looked like missing, stealing the glory.

Match facts

South Wales Scorpions: Elliot Kear, Jamie Murphy, Christiaan Roets, Lee Williams, Ashley Bateman, Casey Bromilow, Andrew Gay, Liam Roach, Lloyd White, Gil Dudson, Geraint Davies, Lewis Mills, Aled James.

Subs (all used): Steve Parry, Neil Dallimore, Joe McLocklan, Joe Burke.

Tries: Gay 33, Roach 60.

Conversions: White 33, 60.

Penalties: White 26, 78.

Drop-goals: None.

Sin-binned: None.

Sent off: None.

Knights: Danny Ratcliffe 7, Wayne Reittie 7, Ryan Esders 6, Lee Waterman 7, Danny Wilson 6, Chris Thorman 8, Scott Woods, Nathan Freer 6, Jack Lee 8, Alex Benson 6, Jordan Ross 6, Matthew Duckworth 6, Luke Hardbottle 6.

Subs (all used): Mike Mitchell 6, Paul Stamp 7, Jack Stearman 7, Calum Dinsdale 7.

Tries: Duckworth 4, Thorman 37, Lee 69.

Conversions: Ratcliffe 69.

Penalties: Waterman 40, Ratcliffe 79.

Drop-goals: None.

Sin-binned: None.

Sent off: None.

Knights’ man of the match: Chris Thorman – a brilliant attacking display helped pull the Knights to victory.

Referee: Chris Leatherbarrow (St Helens). Didn’t see the late tackle which pole-axed Woods. Ironic given he was otherwise whistle-happy.

Penalty count: 13-9.

Weather watch: Sunny and warm.

Half-time: 8-10.

Attendance: 689.

Moment of the match: Chris Thorman’s jinking run and off-load was brilliantly picked up by Jack Lee and he scored a wonderful try.

Game breaker: He needed to keep his nerve, but Danny Ratcliffe’s penalty was straight through the uprights to win the match.

Match rating: Thrilling, dramatic yet mistake-ridden, this was an intense and thoroughly enjoyable game.