RED-CARDED York City Knights centre Aaron Wood has admitted he was the most grateful man inside the Lionheart Stadium after seeing his team-mates stun Featherstone Rovers with an astonishing 29-26 Challenge Cup triumph.

The 25-year-old Aussie has also issued an apology to the club and to the fans after his indiscretion in the tenth minute of Sunday's tie left the injury-ravaged team facing an almost impossible task against a side from a higher division.

The Knights nevertheless won through with a sensational last-gasp try to book a quarter-final tie at Super League Huddersfield.

Wood said: "I'm gutted about my own performance and if we had lost I would have taken it a lot harder. But all credit to the boys. They came away with a great win and I'm really happy for them. I want to say a big thank-you to all of them.

"I came into the dressing shed after the sending-off and I must admit I was a bit upset, more for the boys and the supporters.

"We wanted to give them a good show and I did not want to let them down - so I'm very happy and ecstatic for the boys and for the fans that they won through so well."

Wood, who was a hero in the preceding week's Arriva Trains Cup win over Featherstone at Huntington Stadium, is now set for a disciplinary hearing and could face a ban. However, he stressed it was not an intentional foul.

"I've caught him high but it wasn't intentional," he said. "He stepped inside me and I stuck an arm out. I don't play the game dirty."

He added: "I want to say a huge sorry to the players and the fans - I will make it up to everyone."

Updated: 10:34 Wednesday, March 17, 2004