York City Knights' play-off hopes over after 36-18 defeat against Bradford Bulls

Bradford led the game from a dozen minutes onwards and an inspiring display from returning talisman Danny Brough saw them well on top by half-time.

A stirring second-half fightback, even when down to 12 men, saw York well in with a shout of stealing something from the game.

But Bradford showed the class that has, because of this win, booked them a top-six spot to get over twice late on.

For York, this was yet another defeat against one of the division’s promotion-challenging sides. In 2021 league games, they have not beaten any of the current top six.

The Knights’ problems have largely been as a result of injuries and, although they were able to call upon Aidan McGowan, Jacob Gannon, Kieran Dixon and Jason Bass because of coronavirus and injury issues, they quickly lost all of their front row.

Jack Teanby went off in the warm-up and Jordan Baldwinson and Will Jubb were forced off in the first half.

Even accounting for York’s numerous injury problems this year, this was a new blow, even for them.

By contrast Bradford head coach John Kear was able to recall half-back Brough after months out injured, while Hull FC’s Masi Matongo started from the bench, after joining on loan. Brad England and Steve Crossley returned to add some size to the pack.

The aforementioned Brough was by far the standout player in the first 40 minutes and he had a hand in almost everything the Bulls did going forward.

In the early minutes, York dropped his bomb - an early warning side they did not heed - was inches short of a 40/20 kick and was passing crisply.

The latter of Brough’s kicks, spilled by McGowan, allowed him to send Jordan Lilley over from close range.

Brough converted the first of his three conversions from five attempts.

York were also struggling to live with Bradford’s tough forward pack and, after conceding a penalty, Lilley’s law-off pass which was by Ben Evans, who bulldozed past defenders on the line.

The Knights did hit back with a rare chance to that point. After an Evans error in an offload, York spread the play to the left side and Ryan Atkins wrestled his way over the whitewash.

Dixon added the first of three goals from as many attempts.

But Bradford were soon over the line again and it all stemmed from Brough’s wondrous boot. His low goalkeeper-like cross-field kick fired into the hands of Rhys Evans who got over, with York defenders all at the other side of the field.

More Brough kicking won Bradford a drop out and a subsequent penalty goal from the half-back saw the Bulls into a 20-6 lead, that they would take into half-time.

They did have further chances before the break, with Ben Evans and Brad England both held up, but their lead remained at 14 points.

After the restart, York made the worst possible start. In their first attacking set, Bass knocked on and Bradford capitalised when Lilley’s cut-out pass put Rhys Evans in at the corner.

The Knights though showed plenty of heart at 24-6 down and they too made the most of an error when Lilley gave up possession.

Corey Johnson displayed a lovely step from the shift and his round-the-back pass put James Green over the line.

Soon after, James McDonnell was sin-binned, presumably for dissent, after York had poorly ended an attacking chance.

That looked to have ended their chances of victory, only for Marcus Stock to put Danny Kirmond through a gap before the forward raced under the posts and left York trailing by just six points.

Bradford extended their advantage through another Brough penalty goal but the game remained firmly in the balance until the final 10 minutes.

Johnson produced a grubber that Lilley just about clung onto but Bradford’s line was not being tested enough.

On 72 minutes came the game breaker. David Foggin-Johnston was the scorer to some controversy when he touched down in the corner despite Brough appearing to have passed forward and there to have been a further knock on in the build up.

The Bulls crossed again before the finish to give a scoreline that somewhat flattered them. Another high-quality shift to the right edge with numbers on the flank gave Rhys Evans a hat-trick, with Lilley converting.

Dan Fleming did see a yellow card as Bradford conceded multiple penalties in the dying stages although York failed to post any more points.

York: McGowan, Jones-Bishop, Dow-Nikau, Atkins, K. Dixon, Marsh, Johnson, Baldwinson, Jubb, Teanby, McDonnell, Kirmond, Clarkson.

Subs (all used): Bass, Stock, Green, Gannon.

Tries: Atkins (20), Green (47), Kirmond (56)

Goals: K. Dixon (3/3)

Sin bin: McDonnell (53)

Bradford: Pickersgill, Dawson-Jones, R. Evans, Oakes, Foggin-Johnston, Brough, Lilley, B. Evans, Doyle, Crossley, England, Murphy, Hallas.

Subs (all used): Flanagan, Fleming, Walker, Matongo.

Tries: Lilley (12), B. Evans (17), Evans (30, 44, 75), Foggin-Johnston (72)

Goals: Brough (5/7), Lilley (1/1)

Sin bin: Fleming (78)

York’s man of the match: Marcus Stock. The forward assisted Kirmond’s try and had a big impact off the bench.