A DRAMATIC late try saw York City Knights fall to a 22-20 defeat to Batley Bulldogs at the LNER Community Stadium.

Batley led 10-0 at half-time after some clinical work in attack but York rallied to score three times in seven minutes early in the second half.

They looked destined to return to winning ways at that point, only for Ben Jones-Bishop to be sent to the sin bin and the Bulldogs to score immediately after.

Both sides went in search of a late try to seal the game and, despite York bossing the territory, it was Batley’s Lucas Walshaw who grabbed it with five minutes to go.

Despite the distraught at the result, the Knights’ performance was a world away from the one seen in the defeat at Halifax Panthers last time out. However, they remain without a league win over those sides in the Betfred Championship play-offs and again a close affair has been edged by the opopsition.

As York fans have become accustomed to this year, the team showed several changes from the trip to Halifax.

The injured Kriss Brining, Brendan O’Hagan and Will Jubb dropped out along with James Green, Joe Porter and Riley Dean - who has returned to Warrington Wolves.

James Ford handed out three debuts, with Jamie Ellis, Jake Sweeting and Tyla Hepi all coming straight in after signing on loan this week.

Adam Cuthbertson returned to the pack, Jason Bass was a late call-up to the bench after Jubb pulled out and Danny Washbrook was back in the halves.

That left York forced into fielding their seventh different pairing at half-back from just 14 games this year.

Ellis almost immediately showed his top-flight class by breaking the Batley line but Jones-Bishop’s pass that put Matty Marsh in space was ruled forward.

Batley had their share of the territory from then on as Tom Gilmore’s neat kick won a drop out. But York capably dealt with the pressure they were under and managed to hold up hooker Ben Kaye in the Bulldogs’ most promising play.

Knights chances were also limited in an opening 20 minutes that contained practically no errors. They chose to run a penalty in front of the posts, culminating in Ellis misjudging a cut-out pass that flew into touch.

Midway through the half, Batley broke the deadlock in a score that came very much against the run of play. Some incisive runs from Jones-Bishop and Washbrook put them on the front foot and Ellis attempted an early chip over the line.

But Luke Hooley cleverly read the play and charged down the kick before racing away to score under the posts and convert his score.

York’s build-up play was encouraging but their last tackle plays, perhaps understandably given another new half-back pairing, were not troubling Batley.

From an Ellis kick which lacked the distance, York were caught offside and Batley clinically punished them. Tom Gilmore threw a brilliant cut-out pass to allow Jack Logan to put Jodie Broughton in for a walk over.

Near the touchline, Hooley missed the conversion.

York ploughed on for the remainder of the half as they looked to post some points. In good ball though they were struggling to find that last pass.

Sam Scott knocked on as the Knights spread it wide 10m out while an Ellis grubber was well taken by Hooley just a metre away from his own line, leaving Batley 10-0 up at half-time.

York were given an early chance after the restart when Batley knocked on and were penalised in their own half, but the move fell away when Hepi knocked on.

Marching upfield, the Bulldogs continued to be smartly led by the experienced Gilmore whose kick wide won a drop-out, with his subsequent chip being well fielded by Jones-Bishop.

A dozen minutes into the half, York finally found their groove and three tries in quick succession suddenly changed the complexion of the game.

On the repeat set, they again spread the ball to the right and this time Jones-Bishop grabbed himself a deserved try after wrestling off tackles by the corner.

Straight from the restart they stormed upfield Marsh’s grubber took a fortunate bounce which saw Dixon leap and ground the ball.

Then, last but not least, York’s crisp passing put them close and when Dixon was in the corner, he stepped inside past two defenders and managed to wriggle over the line.

The winger converted all three scores and, in a flash, York had an eight-point lead.

You would be forgiven for thinking that the contest was now heading in only one direction for this point but Batley put paid to any such thoughts.

The impressive Jones-Bishop was sin-binned for a tackle without the ball on Johnny Campbell as the pair chased the latter's in-goal grubber.

From the next set, Batley, now with the numerical advantage, switched play to the opposite flank for Broughton to cross for his second try.

Hooley’s conversion left the visitors only two behind, though that deficit was extended to four when Dixon knocked over a penalty goal after a late shot on Washbrook with 10 minutes to go.

Late on, there were hearts-in-mouths scenes as Hooley broke the line and put Elliot Hall in the clear, only for the referee to rule the simple pass as forward, much to the relief of the home fans.

York then almost sealed the points when Marsh broke free, but on the next play Jack Teanby knocked on as attempted to barge over, with an over-lap available down the flank.

With five minutes to go, Batley clinched it. With bodies everywhere in broken field, Batley kept it alive and as Dane Manning threw an offload under the posts which Lucas Walshaw grounded before Hooley crucially converted.

The Knights threw everything but the kitchen sink at Batley. They won the short kick-off, a repeat set and a drop out as the pressure mounted on the Bulldogs line.

With seconds to go, a last-ditch offload from Adam Cuthbertson on the line fell to Batley hands and as the final hooter sounded, York’s players fell to the ground in despair.

York: Marsh, Jones-Bishop, Atkins, Salter, K. Dixon, Washbrook, Ellis, Cuthbertson, Sweeting, Teanby, Clarkson, Scott, Spears.

Subs (all used): Bass, Baldwinson, Stock, Hepi.

Tries: Jones-Bishop (52), K. Dixon (55, 59)

Goals: K. Dixon (4/4)

Sin bins: Jones-Bishop (62)

Batley: Hooley, Campbell, Walshaw, Logan, Broughton, White, Gilmore, Everett, Kaye, Blagbrough, Manning, Buchanan, Flynn.

Subs (all used): Hall, Leak, Lillycrop, Ward.

Tries: Hooley (18), Broughton (30, 63), Walshaw (75)

Goals: Hooley (3/4)

York’s Star Man: Kieran Dixon. Another great performance by the winger who set the tone with his early-set carries and was perfect with the boot.