JUDGING by James Ford’s team selection for this Challenge Cup fourth round tie, it’s fair to say York City Knights are prioritising the Championship campaign.

Judging by his team’s performance, they’re prioritising every match – a much-changed line-up with new combinations all over the place winning 32-16 at old bogey side Barrow Raiders to reach round five in some superb fashion.

With pivotal players like Ben Cockayne, Connor Robinson, Liam Salter and Graeme Horne all left at home, it wouldn’t have been too big a surprise had York been turned over.

It looked like they might be, too, after the Raiders cut the deficit from 20-6 to 20-16 and had the roll-on during a one-sided third quarter.

But an inexperienced team showed resilience above their years, regained a foothold and finished with a flourish.

Anyone mention the word jinx? Having hammered Barrow 56-0 in the league in February for their first win over the Raiders in 14 attempts, they this time notched their first victory at Craven Park since 2004. The hoodoo has very much been put to bed.

What’s more, they threw that monkey off their back despite losing new loan recruit Nick Rawsthorne to a hamstring pull in the warm-up. If that wasn’t enough, they lost loan winger Conor McGrath before half-time to a shoulder injury.

Centre Rawsthorne, signed from Toronto, was replaced in the 17 by prop Jack Teanby, who had been another due a rest but was 18th man. That led to a shift around which saw Brad Hey retain his place at centre rather than have a stint in the second row.

McGrath’s exit saw middle-unit man Joe Porter play at centre.

It was already a new-look team in any case, with several star men omitted – Cockayne, Robinson, Horne, Salter and Ronan Dixon all carrying niggles, and Joe Batchelor withdrawn by parent club St Helens who did not want him cup-tied. Ash Robson, Harry Carter and Jason Bass were already in the treatment room.

Making his debut was young Kevin Brown at full-back – and what a revelation he was – while Mike Kelly made his season’s bow in the back row.

Also back into the pack were Dave Petersen and Marcus Stock, who played on dual-reg for Coventry last week, and Josh Jordan-Roberts, while Judah Mazive was back on the wing.

Matty Marsh (full-back) and Will Jubb (hooker) formed a new-look half-back partnership.

Those changes made it clear where Ford’s priorities lay this term – the league, not the cup.

Injury-hit Barrow also fielded a much-changed team to the one walloped at Bootham Crescent.

Joining their injury list week were PNG ace Stargroth Amean, Aussie back-row Jarred Stack and former Hull KR prop – and dual-reg York player – Jordan Walne.

However, pacy full-back Tee Ritson, threequarters Brett Carter and Jake Spedding and prop Tom Walker were all back fit. The Toal brothers, Shane and Dan, also returned from long absences last week.

York scored two tries in two minutes around the quarter-hour mark to take a grip on the tie.

Stock had a simple finish under the posts after Marsh had jinked close. Marsh – with Connor Robinson and Rawsthorne not involved – took over the goal-kicking duty and converted.

Then, when Kriss Brining won a penalty after a good run, the two half-backs combined with full-back Brown and Perry Whiteley, playing at centre, finished brilliantly down the left.

In the next attack, on-loan winger Conor McGrath dropped the ball but referee Gareth Hewer pulled play back for a late tackle on Marsh, and Marsh booted the penalty for a 12-0 lead.

However, a couple of penalties went Barrow’s way and Aussie Alex Susino crashed through a number of tacklers under the posts, Jamie Dallimore converting.

York quickly hit back as the subs combined.

Sam Scott, used as interchange prop rather than second-row, got out a surprise offload which allowed Petersen, on at hooker, to give Teanby an easy touchdown. Marsh converted.

The Knights should have scored again when Brown excelled and frustrated in equal measure. He skipped through in centrefield using excellent footwork but when he should have sent the supporting Jubb home, he dummied straight into a tackle. That footwork and pace – it looked good at other times coming out of defence – could get him in the team more often.

It remained 18-6 at half-time – a frustrating watch for the home fans but encouraging for the healthy number clad in amber and black.

It got worse for the hosts when they dropped the kick-off, Whiteley won a penalty and Marsh knocked over another two points.

However, the game changed when Jubb dropped the swirling restart.

Dallimore immediately slipped Josh Johnson in to score against the club for whom he played on dual-reg from Hull KR last season.

Then they forced a dropout and sub Ritson sped through some questionable defending on York’s inside left, Dallimore’s goal cutting the deficit to 20-16.

Another Dallimore kick forced another dropout, a hand in a tackle gave the hosts another repeat set, and a penalty followed.

York’s sliding goalline defence denied Ritson a second but when York finally got the ball, Whiteley dropped it. The pressure resumed and another score looked afoot – but somehow the defence survived.

It was now that the visitors could really have done with a Horne or a Cockayne to go on and help regain control. Skipper Tim Spears was out there, though, and, with him cajoling and encouraging, the team somehow regained a foothold and stopped the rot.

They then got breathing space with seven minutes left thanks to a cracking finish from Jordan-Roberts on the last tackle when he had no right to score.

It still wasn’t over. Barrow won possession from a short restart and looked sure to score after fine work by PNG stars Willie Minoga and Wartovo Puara Jnr. Johnson went to crash through but was held up.

Then it was all over. Marsh capped a fine performance when he found a gap that didn’t exist close to the posts to touch down and convert.

Barrow were clearly peeved as shown by some stupidity at the end, Dan Toal being sent off following a high tackle on Tim Spears and some fisticuffs. It came in the first hit-up after another penalty and minor fracas. Spears had probably expected it but ran the ball in nonetheless.

Marsh kicked the two points on the hooter.