DENNIS TUFFOUR made a strong claim for a starting berth when York City Knights kick off their 2011 campaign with a hat-trick in yesterday’s friendly against Castleford Under-20s.

The winger was one of six first-team aspirants in the Knights’ starting XIII at Huntington Stadium yesterday and was the only one to play the entire 80 minutes as Dave Woods’ young hopefuls were beaten 40-26 by the Tigers’ highly-rated youngsters.

He had been left out of Woods’ side, largely a first-team line-up, which lost 62-10 at Castleford in the first hit-out of term last week, having missed a few training sessions.

But he made his point in a man-of-the-match performance yesterday in which his try-scoring prowess was matched by a good work ethic, regularly taking toil off his forwards when running the ball up infield.

He could not prevent Cas from taking the Paul Higgins Memorial Trophy – yesterday’s match was the annual encounter in honour of the late Higgins – but Woods was rightly pleased with his efforts, and that of the young guns who were thrust into the spotlight.

Two other first-teamers – Steve Lewis, who was withdrawn after the first half, and Jack Stearman, whenever he was on the pitch – stood out, while there were some nice touches from several of the kids on show, not least teenager Ed Smith, last year’s reserves player of the year, Jordan Rice, and substitute hooker Andy Gray.

The early stages were marked by a massive hit by big Clark Thompson on Chris Williams, who is being trialled in the second row and showed his appetite for action by bouncing straight back up.

Then a high tackle by Lewis gave Cas the field position from which winger Josh Atkinson opened the scoring in the right corner.

Joe Picketts should also have crossed following another penalty, but dropped a pass close to the line.

York got back into the match, and a period of stalemate – a decent workout albeit with handling errors from both sides – ended when they hit back with two quick tries.

They had men lined up on the left but Mark Barlow, the first-team utility man who was having a run at stand-off, went right, where teenage centre Smith fed Tuffour to speed into the corner.

Then Stearman crashed over, with Dan Mole adding both conversions, the first from the touchline, for a 12-4 lead.

However, substitute Henry Mitchell dropped a simple pass on his own line from the restart, and Atkinson made him pay, Brierley booting his first of six conversions from the right touchline.

Mitchell did not have the best of games, but will hopefully learn from the experience.

Tuffour blazed home after Lewis had injected pace into the attack, but Brierley, with a superb show-and-go following a scrum, equalised before half-time.

The Tigers had begun last week’s friendly with a Super League XIII but finished it with many of the youngsters who were again on show yesterday, including impressive half-back Brierley.

Second-row John Davies, who made one appearance for York last year on dual-registration forms, also stood out.

Another such player, pacy full-back Greg Eden, won the race to Zack Snelgrove’s grubber to open the second-half scoring.

York replied following the reintroduction of Stearman, who won a penalty, after which Williams finished excellently.

Then Barlow fed Smith close to the line and, when he looked in danger of being pushed into touch, he slipped the ball out for Tuffour to fall over the line.

Barlow goaled from out wide for a two-point lead.

The Knights looked on course for a notable win, especially when considering the average age of their side, especially in the second half, which they ended with three 17-year-olds on the pitch, could easily have been younger than Castleford’s.

However, Daryl Clark danced through tired-looking tackling to score a solo try, Thompson barged over, and Clark sealed the visitors’ win on the hooter with his second touchdown.

York: Haynes, Mole, Sutton, E Smith, Tuffour, Barlow, Woods, Burns, Stamp, Stearman, Rice, Williams, Lewis.

Subs (all used): Gray, Worthington, Winstanley, Brining, Holmes, Mitchell, Mortimer, Carmody, Hepworth.

Tigers: Eden, Atkinson, Holmes, Nathaniel, Blackmore, Brierley, Johnson, Fleming, Clark, Thompson, Harris, Davies, Picketts.

Subs (all used): Orange, Siddons, J Smith, Payne, Pick, Snelgrove, Backhouse.

Referee: Matthew Kidd.

Attendance: 561.