YORK City Knights are still seeking their first win of the Championship, and on this showing it will be a long time coming as they try to get to grips with the higher tier.

The Knights showed little creativity against a solid unit, despite bagging three tries, and, defensively, they were torn apart in two try-scoring salvoes from visitors Barrow, who ended with eight touchdowns and a 42-16 victory.

It was always going to be hard for York against the 2009 champions, who this week find out whether their application for a Super League franchise is successful.

But, it was made even harder by missed tackles all over the park and poor, unimaginative attacking plays with ball in hand, not least when six consecutive second-half sets in the red zone brought no remuneration.

There were fewer handling errors than in last week’s defeat to Sheffield and York clearly won on the penalty count, but if ever there was proof those statistics do not win matches, this was it.

An excellent first set for the Raiders, led by dual-registered Huddersfield prop Adam Walker, ending with a penalty on the last tackle, was a sign of things to come.

The Knights actually withstood that barrage, twice holding the Raiders up over the try-line – and they went down the other end to take the lead with a superb solo try by Jonny Presley, the little scrum-half jinking through Barrow’s big forwards, Chris Thorman goaling.

But that was as good as it got for those two half-backs, and York never looked likely to hold onto the lead.

The Knights had shown eight changes to the side that lost 24-20 at Barrow in the Northern Rail Cup.

One surprise was the omission of a back-up hooker on the bench, with incomer Paul Stamp given a tough job to fill the boots of the injured Jack Lee.

Stamp was never going to last the full game like Lee does, so Thorman filled in at dummy-half when Stamp was spelled – putting more onus on the former Super League half-back, but without good results.

Indeed, the announcement of Thorman as the sponsor’s man of the match was met with a mixed reception at best from the crowd.

Another surprise was the use of Nathan Freer at loose-forward, boss Dave Woods again choosing to play a prop at the back of the pack.

The lack of attacking options, possibly due to this, was stark, with too much one-up rugby, and, while the idea was probably to combat Walker and co in the big Barrow pack, it only worked for the opening 17 minutes.

At that point, Raiders substitute Richard Fletcher scored, after a superb break by dangerous centre Liam Harrison, to begin an 11-minute three-try salvo.

Gary Broadbent got the second try, after James Coyle had beaten Steve Lewis, with Jamie Rooney booting the first of his five conversions.

Then a Rooney chip to the left corner saw Andy Ballard, who had switched wings, win the aerial challenge and score under pressure.

Ned Catic, Barrow’s loose-forward, would also have scored during this purple patch but for a chase-back tackle from Presley, while scrum-half Coyle also went close, as the visitors continued to make all the incursions.

Coyle had been injured for the Northern Rail Cup tie, while Catic had played at centre, as the Cumbrians, like York, also switched a few things round from that day.

Back then, they were coached by Garry Schofield, but his reign did not last long, and the Raiders looked a more cohesive entity under new coach Nigel Wright, who now has his first win on the board.

This was despite the big loss of form prop Jamie Thackray to injury last week, while fellow front-rower Brett McDermott completed his six-match ban picked up after the cup game between these sides.

A bit of luck got York back in this match. A penalty gave them a rare set in opposition territory and on the last tackle, Presley’s desperate kick ricocheted to his feet and he picked up to send Dave Sutton in at the flag to cut the deficit to 16-10.

However, Barrow cut through York at will after half-time in the second salvo, this one of four tries in just nine minutes.

Ballard got his second try three minutes in, after Harrison, who also had a big game in the Northern Rail Cup, had evaded Jordan Thompson – the Castleford loanee who again disappointed.

Then Harrison bumped off Thorman, Thompson and full-back Tom Bush to score, and, soon enough, Chris Larkin crossed in the other corner.

A Rooney 40-20 set the territory for a Zeb Luisi try in the next attack, when cheers from the travelling fans were virtually drowned out by the home groans.

Then came York’s big spell of pressure, with six sets on the Barrow try-line. But penetration never even looked likely.

Barrow showed how to do it as Harrison broke away on a counter-attack and, as the Knights gave up the chase, Rooney took the scoring pass.

Another spell of home pressure finally fashioned a late try, John Davies the scorer, but that and Thorman’s goal were little consolation.


Match facts

Knights: Bush 6, Sutton 7, Thompson 5, Straugheir 6, Wilson 5, Thorman 5, Presley 6, Massey 6, Stamp 6, Benson 6, Clarke 6, Davies 6, Freer 6.

Subs (all used): Lewis 6, Garside 6, Barron 5, Stearman 6.

Tries: Presley 4; Sutton 37; Davies 77.

Conversions: Thorman 4, 77.

Penalties: None.

Drop goals: None.

Sin-binned: None.

Barrow: Broadbent, Ballard, Larkin, Harrison, Nixon, Rooney, Coyle, Walker, Gleeson, James, Knowles, Ostler, Catic.

Subs (all used): Campbell, Luisi, Fletcher, Butler.

Tries: Fletcher 17; Broadbent 24; Ballard 28, 43; Harrison 47; Larkin 50: Luisi 52; Rooney 69.

Conversions: Rooney 24, 28, 47, 50, 69.

Penalties: None.

Drop goals: None.

Sin-binned: None.

Man of the match: Dave Sutton – it’s not an absolute case of the least worst winning the award, but the winger did stand out a bit because of the fact there was little inspiration elsewhere across the park.

Referee: Clint Sharrad (Manchester) – okay.

Penalty count: 8-4.

Attendance: 1,064.

Half-time: 10-16.

Weather: bright and sunny.

Moment of the match: Jonny Presley’s invidual try, jinking and darting in, gave the Knights an early lead, but it did not last.

Gaffe of the match: there were no out-and-out howlers, but too much soft or unfocused defence allowed too many line breaks from the visitors.

Gamebreaker: Dave Sutton’s try just before half-time gave York hope, but four tries in 12 minutes after the interval took Barrow well clear.

Match rating: not great for home fans.