REPORT: York City Knights 30 Dewsbury Rams 2

The visitors performed well in the first half, giving the Knights plenty to think about, and took the lead through a Matty Beharrell penalty.

Matty Marsh's try after good work down the left from Will Oakes gave the Knights a half-time lead, and they swept Dewsbury aside in the second period.

Good tries from Jamie Ellis, Sam Davis, Brendan O'Hagan and Chris Clarkson ensured a good win for James Ford's side.

York head coach James Ford was able to welcome half-back Brendan O’Hagan into the fold. The Australian missed out against Featherstone last Monday but linked up with scrum-half Jamie Ellis to face Dewsbury.

His inclusion meant Matty Marsh was able to return to his favoured full-back berth, meaning youngster Myles Harrison missed out completely after anchoring the side against Fev.

Marcus Stock also dropped out of the side, to be replaced by off-season acquisition Sam Davis. The ex-London Broncos hooker missed the round one clash through injury.

Dewsbury were able to name Calum Turner at full back. The former Castleford Tigers man missed out on the Rams’ opening-day 46-16 defeat at home to Bradford Bulls.

His inclusion pushed Jake Sweeting – a one-time Knights loanee – up from full back to scrum half, where he joined experienced Championship campaigner Matty Beharrell.

Ex-Bradford prop Ross Peltier started among the forwards.

The Knights started well, by winning possession off their own kick off but – after Masi Matongo was stopped a few metres from the try line – the game took on a rather more even complexion than many were predicting.

York showed flashes of good play, sweeping passes across the 30-metre line before throwing the ball out as play switched sides.

And a Will Jubb error at the play-the-ball up the other end gave Dewsbury a scrum, on the phase after which York conceded a penalty. Beharrell slotted over from just to the right of the posts for a 2-0 lead.

The Rams continued to press and, with home fans screaming for a forward pass from Christopher Annakin, York had to hold their visitors up over the line for the second time, after Marsh and Jordan Thomson had done earlier on.

Dewsbury just about survived a scare with 20 minutes gone when Ellis put through a fantastic grubber for O’Hagan to run onto but he could not gather when over the try line.

York were not to be denied for long and Marsh got them on the scoreboard with 27 minutes on the clock. After good work from Will Oakes to draw the last man down the left wing and pass to Marsh, it was a simple finish to the left of the posts. Ellis added the extras.

There were a couple of nearly moments for the Rams as half-time approached. Adam Ryder barrelled through the York defence before being stopped by last-man Marsh. The ball broke free for a Rams team-mate to dot down but play was pulled back for a knock-on.

Michael Knowles also got in behind the York defence following a neat grubber kick from Beharrell but the try was chalked off for offside.

Dewsbury started the second half with the territory but were soundly repelled by York, who looked like they had grown right into the arm wrestle. Pauli Pauli in the middle certainly looked to give the Knights an extra few metres every time he got the ball.

Oakes made a spectacular run down the left wing for York, collecting a high bomb 10 metres from his own line, beating two challenges and holding off Annakin before being brought down 10 metres from the Rams’ line.

Just before the hour mark, Ellis gave the Knights some breathing room. The hosts were making their possession count by occupying Dewsbury’s 10m area, and a few metres in front of the try line, Pauli held off his tackles and laid on for Ellis to run diagonally through and dive over.

Significant errors had started to creep into Dewsbury’s game and a dropped catch in the York half allowed Jack Logan to make good ground.

The Knights continued to push from this springboard and Davis got over, showing good strength to hold off the tackle of Ryder and power in after 62 minutes.

York had to defend a little more over the next 10 minutes but did well to keep their shape and composure, giving little ground for Dewsbury to work with, three York players doing well to force Bradley Graham into touch in the corner.

And with seven minutes to go, the Knights had wrapped things up. O’Hagan put a neat grubber kick through for himself to chase, and the returning half-back gathered to touch down. Ellis put over the fairly straightforward conversion.

Captain Clarkson added a fifth with seconds to go when he collected a touched down an Ellis grubber kick.

York: Marsh, Brown, Glover, Logan, Oakes, O'Hagan, Ellis, Matongo, Jubb, Michael, Clarkson, Kirmond, Thompson. Interchanges (all used): Davis, Teanby, Dixon, Pauli.

Star man: Pauli Pauli. A battering ram of a presence who gave the Knights extra metres when they needed them most either side of half-time.

Tries: Marsh (27), Ellis (57), Davis (62), O’Hagan (73), Clarkson (79)

Goals: Ellis (5/5)

Dewsbury: Turner, Gabriel, Ryder, Graham, Dixon, Beharrell, Sweeting, Peltier, Speakman, Beckett, Walton, Knowles, Annakin. Interchanges: Butterworth, Magrin, Ferguson, Kidd.

Goals: Beharrell (1/1)

Referee: T Grant

Attendance: 1,562