“THEY deserve it!”

So said head coach James Ford of his York City Knights players as they celebrated on and off the pitch their Betfred League One title-winning triumph.

The Knights beat a battling Whitehaven 32-14 on the final day of the regular season to be crowned champions, two points ahead of huge odds-on title favourites Bradford Bulls.

It banked them the sole automatic promotion place back to the Championship - returning to rugby league's second tier for the first time since 2013.

“I’m obviously really pleased,” said Ford, with no little understatement.

“As a group of people we set a goal to be better than Bradford Bulls over 26 rounds, and we used that mantra during our training and during our preparation each week.

“And we have been better than Bradford – we are better than Bradford.

“I hope the players enjoy their evening and their end-of-season party (next week). They deserve to enjoy it, they really do.”

The Knights led only 10-8 at half-time against a Whitehaven side who were the last team to beat them this season - in the reverse match way back in May.

But while it was another tight encounter, Ford’s men pulled away in the second period to notch a 15th straight victory.

Former York Acorn amateur Matt Chilton justified his selection with two super tries, while Sam Scott and Aussie Joel Edwards also crossed the whitewash.

Scrum-half Connor Robinson added two conversions plus no fewer than six penalties to set new all-time York RL goals and points in a season records - taking his tallies to 186 and 420 respectively and topping Danny Brough’s 2004 marks of 178 and 412.

Said Ford: “There were lots of indicators that showed how dominant we were.

“The kick plan was executed well, the defence limited Whitehaven’s go-forward – and they’ve got some handfuls in their team.

“We were always on top but there was always a threat that Whitehaven could win it given the players they had.

“They capitalised on a couple of poor decisions by the referee but we were strong enough mentally to not let that affect our composure and we maintained what we were doing. Ultimately we gradually pulled away.”

Ford had taken the Knights to three play-off semi-finals in his three previous seasons in charge - all ending in agony. The last came in the rain and mud at Whitehaven a year ago, which was decided by a drop goal after a world record 26 minutes of golden-point extra time.

His class of 2018 now avoid that lottery, having secured the sole automatic promotion place to the Championship.

The result also denied Haven a play-off place, with Bradford, Doncaster, Workington and Oldham now going into those semi-finals.

Ford, Robinson, Ben Cockayne and Judah Mazive could also yet cap the successful season by collecting silverware at the Betfred Championship and League One awards ceremony on Tuesday night.

Ford is up for League One Coach of the Year, Robinson and Cockayne for Player of the Year and Mazive for Young Player of the Year.

But Ford said: “I didn’t come into this game to get pats on backs like that.

“It’s about making my players the best they can be and making this club the best it can be. Over the four years (that Ford has been at the helm) the squad has been moulded in that way.

“Benny Cockayne and Connor Robinson won’t care if they win (that award). They care that we’ve got promoted.

“It would be great for them to share the award and for Judah to win his, but it won’t affect any of them if they don’t.

“They’ve won the major award – we’ve won the league!”