YORK City Knights returned to third in the Betfred Championship with a convincing 38-6 victory over Newcastle Thunder at the LNER Community Stadium.

Three tries in the space of 11 minutes in the first half saw York run up a commanding lead and they never looked back against a Newcastle side who were let down by ill-discipline and handling errors.

Youngster AJ Towse claimed two tries thereafter and the Knights also bagged another couple of second-half scores, with the match pretty much sown up after half an hour.

Thunder have moved full-time over the off-season but were completely outplayed by the part-time Knights who have now only two to promotion favourites Featherstone Rovers and Leigh Centurions, winning all six of their other league matches.

This was not a York side at full strength either as James Ford made three changes to the side which comfortably won at Workington Town last time out, with Kriss Brining and Brad Ward both dropping out with concussion injuries.

In their place came Sam Davis, fresh from two tries for Leeds Rhinos Reserves last week, as the interchange hooker and AJ Towse on the wing.

The fit-again Ronan Dixon replaced fellow forward Joe Porter on the bench.

Having begun so well against Workington Town last time out, York made near enough the worst possible start here.

A knock on from the first tackle was followed by conceding a penalty and a six-again, however only a forward pass to Brad Day was all Newcastle could produce.

York soon snapped out of their early lull and began to build some pressure on the Newcastle line, with James Glover winning a goal-line drop-out on 10 minutes.

Shortly after, a high shot on Liam Harris gave the Knights the requisite field position to take the lead.

Will Jubb, the man of the afternoon as he celebrated 100 appearances for York, produced a fine drop-off pass by Jordan Thompson whose strong line saw him crash over the line.

With Jamie Ellis still sidelined through injury, Liam Harris took the kicking duties and scoring the first of five goals from seven attempts.

York were over again off the back of a penalty, having earned 12 of them along with six-agains over the 80 minutes.

Fresh from the bench, Ronan Dixon barged his way to the line as the pressure told.

The Knights did not let up and some clever link-up play between Brendan O’Hagan and Matty Marsh won another drop-out.

After Dixon was held up, a nice shift right saw Marsh put Glover through a gap in the Newcastle defence.

A third drop-out soon followed when full-back Jack Johnson got a catch horribly wrong and spilt the ball backwards.

Pauli Pauli and the York fans thought he had profited from it but his charge to the line was called as a knock on.

Leeds Rhinos loanee Levi Edwards, having impressed so much ini his early appearances, had a quiet game until the half-hour mark.

Showing his trademark turn of pace, the centre raced down the left before offloading for AJ Towse to go clear.

That latest try brought up a 22-0 lead for York at half time, putting the game pretty much beyond Newcastle’s reach at the match’s midpoint.

Things didn’t get much better for Thunder after the restart. A high shot on Glover put York in striking range for Masi Matongo to muscle over.

The only blemish for York thus far was a head injury assessment for Jack Teanby.

At 50 minutes the game was essentially won and Ford used the opportunity to rest key half-back Brendan O’Hagan as he continues to work towards full fitness.

The absence of O’Hagan did not immediately hamper York’s attack as they scored again seconds later. Marsh broke from halfway and picked out Edwards who in turn spectacularly offloaded for a second Towse try.

At this point trailing 34-0, Newcastle finally posted some points. After twice being held up in the same set, Brad Gallagher crashed over from a short pass. Jake Shorrocks added the extras.

The match seemed to take on a subdued tone from then on with the contest as good as done.

Marsh thought he had broken the stale period when breaking the line but the referee ruled an obstruction.

York did though have the last word as Harris conjured an excellent cut-out pass over two team-mates and picked out Joe Brown in the corner to score.

York: Marsh, Brown, Glover, Edwards, Towse, O’Hagan, Harris, Matongo, Jubb, Pauli, Kirmond, Clarkson, Thompson.

Subs (all used): Teanby, Davis, Dixon, Stock.

Tries: Thompson (15’), Dixon (20’), Glover (26’), Towse (32’, 49’), Matongo (45’), Brown (69’)

Goals: Harris (5/7)

York’s star man: Will Jubb. Excellent pass for the opening try, which kickstarted the convincing victory.

Newcastle: Johnson, Hanley, Nokes, Costello, Boafo, Shorrocks, Coates, T. Chapelhow, Eaves, Clark, Day, Nicholson, N. Wilde.

Subs (all used): Bailey, Moran, Gallagher, Peachey.

Tries: Gallagher (54’)

Goals: Shorrocks (1/1)

Referee: Josh Vella

Attendance: Not given

Penalties/Six-agains: 12-7

Goal-line drop-outs: 3-0