THE renewed hope which followed the two victories after Easter seems to be slowly ebbing away from York City Knights.

If the manner of defeat at Barrow on Saturday was disappointing, then it was doubly so last night as they crashed 50-16 at Batley in front of the Sky cameras.

Referee Ronnie Laughton came in for flak from the travelling support but more worryingly for Knights boss Dave Woods were the mistakes which again littered his side’s display.

For every decent bit of play, there was a cock-up, a cheap turnover of possession or missed tackle, for which they regularly paid a price.

Losing to Batley is no disgrace – the Bulldogs are now within a point of top spot in the Championship – but it was yet another failure to compete well enough to claim a bonus point, and that could be crucial come the final reckoning.

York were missing big props Nathan Freer and Brett Waller due to niggling injuries, which were at least partly to blame for their disappointing displays on Saturday.

With fellow prop Ben Jones still on the treatment table, too, Ryan Esders was shifted up front, with boss Woods hoping he would bring some aggression to the midfield battle. York Acorn ARLC product Davey Burns was also brought onto the bench from the reserves.

The pack, therefore, looked a bit makeshift, and, although Woods hoped its mobility would help deal with the infamous Mount Pleasant slope, it was second best.

Talking of the slope, York also had little joy before kick-off, losing the toss and going downhill in the first half. Woods had wanted to go up it.

The Knights were given great early territory as Batley knocked on close to their line. But the home defence stood firm – and they streaked up the hill to go ahead after just three minutes.

Alex Bretherton fought in after Paul Handforth and Alex Brown had made the yards. The latter was stopped by Anthony Thackeray’s cover tackle, but York’s defence on their line could not match that of the hosts.

Handforth booted the first of his five conversions – the scoreline could have been much worse had he not missed five too.

Batley had virtually a full-strength squad to pick from, barring crocked hooker George Flanagan. Second-row Dane Manning was able to play after escaping a ban following his red card against Huddersfield in the Challenge Cup.

That tie – they came close to shocking the Super League Giants – boosted confidence in the camp after league defeats to Sheffield and Leigh, which followed the derby win over Dewsbury on Maundy Thursday and blotted an excellent start to the season. They also had the luxury of 11 days off since the Huddersfield game.

They looked fresher, brighter and faster from the off.

The lead was increased when former Knight Wayne Reittie – he has stood out for Batley since his winter move, having saved his only notable York display last year for the Grand Final – was given a clear run to the line.

And Batley’s movement continued to flummox the Knights, Brown soon crossing untouched down the left.

Then Danny Maun scored and it was 20-0 after 20 minutes.

Woods’ only other visit to Mount Pleasant saw his 2005 Castleford side score 50 points going up the slope. There was a danger his current side would suffer the ignominy of conceding just as many going down it.

But they hit back as they kept the ball alive superbly on the last tackle and James Ford turned on the after-burners for a fine riposte.

Then, after Reittie had a try ruled out, Tom Bush had one at the other end given by the video referee.

Duane Straugheir was not so lucky as the man in the van chalked off his effort, and Batley went up the other end for Reittie to touch down a clever Handforth kick.

At 24-10 at half-time, it still looked ominous, given that slope, despite York’s fightback. And so it proved.

Brown got his second try after half-decent defence could not make up for a mistake-ridden opening. Burns was hauled off moments after losing possession cheaply.

Then Wilson likewise lost the ball in his own half and home prop Sean Hesketh, the other ex-Knight in Batley’s line-up, scored.

Wilson did not have his best night, which brings into question the wisdom of letting Dennis Tuffour go on loan to Hunslet, when, with Tom Lineham also set to join Hull, it leaves less competition for places on the wings.

York were again short of numbers on Wilson’s side as Brown completed his hat-trick, and in the last ten minutes, the hosts hit the half-century mark as Ian Preece streaked home and Adam Robinson touched down another good Handforth kick, before Jack Stearman’s third try in three games brought consolation, Mark Barlow converting.

Match facts

Batley: Preece, Reittie, Williams, Maun, Brown, Handforth, Mennell, Smith, Lythe, Potter, Manning, Bretherton, Lindsay.

Subs (all used): Buttery, Lawton, Hesketh, Robinson.

Tries: Bretherton 3; Reittie 8, 40; Brown 13, 45, 57; Maun 20; Hesketh 47; Preece 72; Robinson 75.

Conversions: Handforth 3, 13, 47, 57, 75.

Penalties: None.

Drop goals: None.

Sin-binned: None.

Sent off: None.

Knights: Bush 7, Sutton 6, Straugheir 6, Ford 6, Wilson, 5 Thackeray 7, Presley 6, Esders 5, Lee 7, Benson 5, Clarke 5, Barlow 6, Thorman 6.

Subs (all used): Stearman 6, Burns 5, Garside 6, Haynes 6.

Tries: Ford 24; Bush 35; Stearman 79.

Conversions: Bush 35; Barlow 79.

Penalties: None.

Drop goals: None.

Sin-binned: None.

Sent off: None.

Man of the match: Jack Lee – grafted hard at hooker for the full 80 minutes without reward.

Referee: Ronnie Laughton (Barnsley) – it was like a game of lucky dip.

Penalty count: 8-6.

Attendance: 806.

Half-time: 24-10.

Weather: a very pleasant evening on Mount Pleasant.

Moment of the match: James Ford’s try, after York had superbly kept the ball alive on the last tackle, stopped the rot in the first half.

Gaffe of the match: maybe TV pictures looked different but, from the stands, the biggest howler was referee Ronnie Laughton and his touch judges’ failure to see Jack Stearman being clothes-lined just before the half-hour mark by a ridiculously high tackle.

Gamebreaker: the opening quarter left York with a mountain to climb, even while they were going downhill.

Match rating: not good viewing for Knights fans, and not good enough from York for this Championship level.