IT’S not often that any kind of club best is met with such frustration and exasperation.

Yesterday’s 26-22 victory over Gateshead means York City Knights have won their opening three games in a season for the first time since the club re-formed a decade ago, while it was the first time a Knights head coach had claimed a hat-trick of victories at the start of his tenure.

But player-boss Chris Thorman’s dander was definitely down after watching his side nearly waste the good work so far this term.

He had rested no fewer than nine players following the wins over Doncaster and Swinton in the preceding seven days, including himself. Others also swapped positions and places.

But the Geordie came close to regretting such sweeping changes as Championship One minnows Thunder – previously without a win in 23 games and without a win over pro opposition in 45 – went 10-0 up inside six minutes and later led 22-14, threatening arguably the biggest shock of this year’s Northern Rail Cup.

Perhaps ironically, it was the biggest surprise in the Knights’ 17 – substitute Chris Green – who ultimately saved the club’s 100 per cent record as well as Thorman’s blushes against effectively his home-town outfit.

The dual-registered second-row had been named in Hull’s provisional squad for their Super League match at Salford on Friday night but instead had a run with their reserves that day and was allowed by his parent club to make his debut for York yesterday as a late replacement for James Haynes.

He had yet to train with his new team-mates, but came off the bench to score the two tries that turned an eight-point deficit into a four-point win.

He probably wouldn’t have played, either, had Haynes not been troubled still by his sciatic nerve problem, or had Thorman not been so keen to rest so many of his front-line players.

That the player-coach made changes was not a shock. But the fact only scrum-half Jordan Tansey wore the same number as he had against Swinton certainly raised eyebrows.

Two of the other three players who stayed in the starting line-up – Tom Bush and Paul King – stood out throughout.

Bush’s tip-top display at full-back, as he fights to keep the number one shirt off Haynes and the rested Ben Hellewell, was marred only by one fumble in possession. King did not mar his display at all, the former Hull prop playing the entire 80 minutes at loose-forward and being a big reason York won the game.

Both had been helpless to prevent Gateshead taking an early lead with tries by former Knights Mike Mitchell and Tom Hodgson, plus a conversion by Ryan Clarke – who was up against his hard-working brother Rhys. Hodgson and another ex-Knight, big Brett Waller, impressed for the visitors.

Both tries came on the back of penalties in an opening which saw York have one set of six – ending with a poor kick by Thorman’s replacement at stand-off, Brett Turner – compared to Gateshead’s seven.

The Knights finally got a foothold in the game and Turner got them on the scoreboard midway through the half with some nifty footwork.

Half-back partner Jordan Tansey, yet to set the world alight at York, missed a kickable conversion, but York were soon in front thanks to a quick-fire brace from former New Earswick amateur Joe Hemmings.

The back-rowers’ first came from a superbly disguised pass by King and his second from a decent pass by Turner, Bush adding a goal.

Thorman said in hindsight he would have rollicked his team at half-time given they did not respond particularly well to whatever it was he did say – Gateshead going 22-14 up within 13 minutes of the restart, with Hodgson the architect of a try for Josh Neilson and then setting up Mitchell’s second.

Both tries, goaled by Stephen Welton and Hodgson respectively, came from glaring York errors.

The first saw Dave Sutton penalised for some handbags with Hodgson – it was harsh at best but he should not have got involved especially with his side in possession. The second had seen Will Bate create the opening after somehow causing Kris Brining and Hemmings to tackle each other rather than the little Thunder sub.

York’s woes were compounded as Brooke Broughton was helped off with injury but they quickly hit back with Green’s brace, aided by a growing penalty count in their favour.

The first came after Adam Howard had been held up at the line, and the second after visiting stand-off Sam Walsh had fielded a Jack Lee kick only to forfeit possession in the hit-up, Bush goaling both.

York should have killed the game but instead were left holding on for victory, especially after Howard was sent off in the last minute for inexplicably kicking out at Bate at a play-the-ball.

Match facts

Knights: Bush 8, Dent 6, Haughey 6, Elliott 7, Sutton 6, Turner 6, Tansey 6, Broughton 6, Brining 6, Benson 6, Rh Clarke 7, Hemmings 6, King 8. Subs (all used): Lee 6, Green 7, Howard 5, Burns 6.

Tries: Turner 20; Hemmings 25, 29; Green 64, 67.

Conversions: Bush 25, 64, 67.

Penalties: None.

Drop goals: None.

Sent off: Howard 80.

Gateshead: Peers, Thackeray, Mitchell, Neilson, Williams, Walsh, Ry Clarke, Waller, Hodgson, McBride, Barron, O’Mara, Payne. Subs used: Bate, Brown, Welton. Sub not used: Parker.

Tries: Mitchell 3, 53; Hodgson 6; Neilson 45.

Conversions: Ry Clarke 6; Welton 45; Hodgson 53.

Penalties: None.

Drop goals: None.

Man of the match: Paul King – difference in class was at times obvious, and he played a busy, full, 80-minute game at loose-forward too.

Referee: Dave Sharpe (Manchester) – inexperience shone through in a questionable display.

Penalty count: 9-7.

Attendance: 635.

Half-time: 14-10.

Weather: overcast and nippy.

Moment of the match: when referee Dave Sharpe tripped himself up and took a moment to get to his feet (it was a bit like Paul Alcock, only without Paolo Di Canio).

Gaffe of the match: Adam Howard’s inexplicable decision to kick out at Will Bate at a play-the-ball near half-way which got him sent off and gave Gateshead one last chance to win it.

Gamebreaker: Gateshead’s penchant for dropping the ball early in the tackle count late in the game.

Match rating: quality was not great but it was a close game which could’ve gone either way.