THERE was no surprise in the voting for the Knights' Player of the Month for March.

The winner of the gong is back-row star Jason Golden, who proved throughout the month that it was a case of by name by nature.

In fact, such has been the Leeds loanee's form, the vote of Evening Press readers was unanimous in his favour - and there wasn't really a surprise in that either.

Golden won two man-of-the-match awards in the month and showed high consistency throughout, which has seen him soar to the top of the Collier Plant Hire Evening Press Player of the Year table.

Everyone who voted for the Player of the Month went into a hat to win two tickets to a Knights game at Huntington Stadium, where they will also get the chance to present the award.

The lucky reader this time was Paul Cooper, of Dringthorpe Road, York. The award will be handed to Golden at the next home match, against Hull KR in National League One, on Good Friday, April 14.

JASON Golden thus ends the first section of the 2006 season as a clear leader in the Evening Press/Collier Plant Hire Player of the Year standings.

The three points gleaned for being Player of the Month increased the gap at the top to five points, and that lead rose to six after he was deemed by the Press to be the Knights' third-best player against Featherstone as they ended the Northern Rail Group group section with a draw.

That already looks a healthy advantage as we head into the main National League part of the season.

Matt Blaymire was the main winner (3pts) in the Fev game after a man-of-the-match display at full-back.

Half-back Scott Rhodes (2pts), meanwhile, has made his mark on the leaderboard in successive weeks, being deemed York's second-best player in both games.

Rhodes (another 2pts) was one of three new players to get on the table after the Hull KR loss. He troubled the Robins' defence throughout the first half and was in line for the man of the match award, only for the hosts to thereafter starve the Knights half-backs of any ball.

Neil Law (3pts) instead got the nod for his try-scoring return to fitness, while Jamie Bovill (1pt) also did well. Having been sent off after five minutes of his debut against former club Hull KR, he might have for approached this tussle tentatively, but he put in some good hits, especially early on while the Knights made a game of it.

Latest standings: Golden 13pts, Elston 7, Blaymire 5, Rhodes 4, Spicer 4, Law 3, Bates 3, Smith 3, Hasty 2, Farrell 2, Forsyth 1, Bovill 1.

Updated: 11:02 Saturday, April 01, 2006