SOME pundits claimed York City Knights and Hunslet had little to play for in the final game of the regular season.

Both were already in the play-offs and the only thing at stake was home advantage in the first knockout round. But the players obviously felt that was worth fighting for - literally - in a fiery and enthralling contest.

The first half was particularly fierce, seeing two men sent off and two more sin-binned, three of the cards being dished out after two almighty brawls broke out.

The two loose-forwards were involved in one - Trevor Krause won his bout on points - and both were yellow-carded, while a separate fight spilled over involving the number 12s, with Hunslet's Sean Ibbetson, the apparent initiator, being rewarded for his bravado with a red card.

The fact he smiled at the Knights fans as he walked off suggested he didn't realise he'd let his team down, but that he had, as it evened the sides up after York had earlier been reduced to 12 men, winger Rob Kama being dismissed for alleged stamping as he got up to play the ball.

Kama, unlike Ibbetson, held his head when entering the tunnel, knowing he had left his team, facing 69 minutes a man down, in trouble.

However, the disadvantage lasted just 14 minutes, and the Knights thereafter wrested control to claim a 32-16 victory which cemented their fourth place in National League Two and guaranteed one last Huntington Stadium hurrah next weekend.

Fighting aside, the two sides provided another cracking contest at Huntington Stadium in front of a 1,642 - York's third-highest crowd this season.

It wasn't pretty at times, but it was exciting and, with the added spice, had just about everything.

Both sides started untidily with York getting the edge as Danny Brough booted penalties for reefing and offside.

But the game's first major incident came in the 11th minute when Kama saw red. It might not have been deliberate, and it was certainly out of character, but nevertheless the Fijian will be sweating on the outcome of any disciplinary hearing.

The Knights will also be praying he gets the benefit of the doubt, otherwise they may be down to the bare bones out wide after Leigh Deakin also went off with an early rib injury.

That said, his replacement, Stuart Godfrey, had a blinder on the flank having been thrown into his debut at the deep end. Apparently, he's not actually a winger - but he looked the part and capped his display with a late try.

Kama's dismissal was quickly seized upon by the Hawks as Phil Hasty's perfect chip saw George Rayner touch down to level.

Then it kicked off. How it all began is not clear, but the game had been feisty beforehand, and referee Steve Nicholson certainly had his work cut out.

Down to 11-a-side for ten minutes, Hunslet prop Danny Fearon chased his own grubber to apparently touch down at one end, but Nicholson deemed he'd knocked on and play shot up the other end, where Alex Godfrey beat two men and made the line under a third tackle. It was a stunning try.

The full-back immediately matched his attack with some wonderful defence. However, the latter efforts were in vain as Hunslet still had an overlap for Wayne Freeman to cross on the hooter. Both tries were goaled.

York began the second half on top and after running a sixth tackle, Callaghan fired out a pass to Graeme Hallas who showed his power, pace and experience to squeeze in.

Godfrey returned to the fore with a mesmeric 80-yard run. He was denied the try of the season by Hasty but saw his tackler sin-binned for preventing a quick play-the-ball when the attack had numbers over. Brough goaled and soon added another for off-side.

Hunslet replied with a penalty through former York Wasp Jonny Liddell after Callaghan retaliated in Fearon's face, but the home lead was extended when former Hunslet prop Dan Briggs broke through to send Carl Hughes in.

Five minutes later Stuart Godfrey burst upfield and, although the attack seemed to fizzle out, the ball went left where Hallas, after weighing up the options, decided to go for the corner and finished superbly.

A 40-20 by Hasty led to a try for the impressive Liddell against his hometown club but the Knights had the last word as Hallas turned provider to send Stuart Godfrey flying in.

Both clubs will now be hoping they face no further punishment nor suspensions following the fisticuffs.

Either way, there's a good chance the two will meet again in the first play-off next week - it's dependent on Barrow beating Swinton Lions tomorrow - and, if so, it's hard to see it being anything but another firecracker.

Knights: A Godfrey 9, Deakin 6, Hallas 9, Stewart 7, Kama 6, Hughes 8, Brough 8, Hayes 8, Jackson 7, Helme 7, Ramsden 8, Callaghan 8, Krause 8.

Subs (all used): S Godfrey 8, Mears 7, Briggs 8, Forsyth 8.

Tries: A Godfrey 30, Hallas 46, 70; Hughes 65; S Godfrey 80.

Conversions: Brough 30, 65.

Penalties: Brough 4, 7, 50, 52.

Drop goals: None.

Sin-binned: Krause 25.

Sent off: Kama 11.

Hunslet: Liddell, Powell, Jakeman, Higgins, Rayner, Bastow, Hasty, Fearon, Doherty, Brent, Freeman. Ibbetson, Coyle.

Subs (all used): Lockwood, Freeman, Taylor, Hawley.

Tries: Rayner 13; Freeman 40; Liddell 76.

Conversions: Hasty 40.

Penalties: Liddell 56.

Drop goals: None

Sin-binned: Coyle 25, Hasty 50.

Sent off: Ibbetson 25.

Man of the match: Alex Godfrey - the full-back downed a bottle of Lucozade before the match and a better advert for the energy drink you could not wish to see.

HT: 10-10

Ref: Steve Nicholson (W'haven)

Penalty count: 7-8

Attendance: 1,642

Updated: 10:53 Saturday, September 06, 2003