ANDREW HENDERSON secured his first two points of the Betfred Championship season, as York Knights defeated Bradford Bulls with a convincing 32-16 result.

The Knights have had a messy start to the season, with plenty of injuries piling up for Henderson’s side.

It was a deciding factor in their last match, after suffering a 12-19 defeat to Widnes Vikings at the LNER Community Stadium last weekend.

Their fixture list wasn’t kind with the quality of opponents for the Knights’ to start the season off with, after facing play-off contenders Bradford and Widnes to start off the campaign.

Bradford had kicked off the season with a triumph too, after beating Whitehaven 24-8 last Sunday.

Henderson opted to make two changes to his starting 13 following the defeat to Widnes Vikings, including a second debut to new signing Levi Edwards.

Edwards wasn’t the only different face taking to the field, with Jesse Dee also handed his first start for the club by Henderson following his off-season switch from Championship rivals Newcastle Thunder.

James Cunningham was forced to drop out after suffering a knee injury following a harsh challenge from behind against Widnes, with a scan booked in for Friday to see how long the new addition will be sidelined for.

Jon Luke Kirby was dropped to the bench, handing Edwards his first start.

With the changes made, the Knights were hoping to pick up their first victory of the season.

However, it wouldn’t be the greatest of starts for Henderson’s side.

Liam Harris kicked out from the full but conceded an immediate penalty following a high shot, with the Bulls starting from 30-metres out.

Matty Marsh is set to be a key player for the Knights again this season,but York’s injury issues took another striking blow after the full-back suffered an elbow injury and was forced off for Jack Teanby.

Bulls' Dec Patton kicked a brilliant pass through to David Foggin-Johnson who thought he had secured a try, even wheeling away in celebration, but the referee deemed the grubber too strong and ruled for a 20 metre restart.

Knights thought they could see a breakthrough after an error by Ben Blackmore, but Bailey Antrobus was denied after a short pass from Dee.

Harris’ grubber forced another Bulls error inches from the visitors’ line, but the Bulls managed to survive the pressure by winning a penalty for obstruction just in front of their line.

Danny Kirmond was forced into making a strong challenge on Patton in order to force a knock-on just 10 metres out from the York line.

But the Knights wouldn’t be able to withstand the Bulls’ pressure for much longer, with the away side claiming their first try of the night 20 minutes in.

Patton, who was having an excellent game for Bradford, chipped the ball into the corner to find Foggin-Johnson who was able to outjump Myles Harrison to ground the ball.

Thankfully, Bradford weren’t able to convert their conversion, with Patton slicing the ball wide of the sticks.

Five minutes later, the Knights were level.

Some sloppy defending from Bradford allowed Will Jubb to pick up possession and dart through the gaps between the sticks to land the try, drawing the scores equal.

And unlike the Bulls, York were able to tuck home their conversion, with James Glover calmly smashing the ball home from the centre.

But tries were coming in five minute intervals at the LNER Community Stadium, with Bradford quickly reinstating their lead on the half an hour mark.

A penalty earned the Bulls to be in a dangerous position, allowing the experienced Bodene Thompson to sneak the ball over the line.

And this time Patton was able to gift Bradford even more valuable points, with a simple finish between the sticks.

Again this end-to-end match took another twist, as the Knights excellently responded.

Kirby, who had come off of the bench, latched onto a clever lay-off from Jubb to drive between the Bradford defenders to score his first try in Knights colours.

And once again Glover was able to convert, pushing York in front for the first time.

Henderson’s side asserted their dominance further when pouncing on an error by Bradford’s Tom Holmes, producing a grubber from a scrum 20-meters out, allowing Ronan Michael to race through and win the loose ball.

For the third time, Glover converted home to extends the Knights’ lead to eight points.

Heading into the second half, York immediately continued their dominance.

After a fantastic performance from Glover, he continued his excellent form by capitalising on another Bulls error at the back.

Not only converting from a penalty 20-meters out, Glover was also able to convert after an offside from Bradford.

The Knights continued to apply the pressure as Harris tried to pick out back-rower Kirmond, but he couldn’t quite get the ball under control just inches away from the line.

York would be granted another penalty in the 54th minute after a foul by Patton on Joe Brown, allowing Glover to pounce on a kick from Harris to add to the Knights lead.

A concerning factor for Henderson last weekend was the defensive aspects of York’s performance, but there were clear signs of improvement, as some strong defending first denied AJ Wallace and then Ben Blackmore.

The Knights defending continued to show quality, as Foggin-Johnson was forced in-goal and gifting York a drop-out.

Glover was soon on the scoresheet again, after a poor goal line drop out from the Bulls allowed the centre to hit home from a practically unmissable position.

The Bulls’ miserable night would continue with what was the first try of the second half, as Josh Daley forced the ball over the line amid some more shoddy Bradford defending.

And Glover, as he had done from every other opportunity throughout the match, was again able to convert the goal for another two points.

The match winded down with the Knights afternoon done, albeit the Bulls were able to grasp one final consolation.

Ex-Leeds Rhinos stand off Jordan Lilley forced a final try over the line, before Patton tucked home the goal to bring the afternoon to an end.

It’s an abroad trip for the Knights next week, as Henderson’s side travel to France for the game against Toulouse Olympique on Saturday for a 6pm kick-off.

YORK KNIGHTS: Brown, Towse, Edwards, Glover, Harrison, Marsh, Harris, Antrobus, Jubb, Fitzsimmons, Dee, Kirmond, Thompson

INTERCHANGES: Kirby, Michael, Daley, Teanby

TRIES: Jubb (25), Kirby (33), Michael (37), Daley (74)

GOALS: Glover 8/8

WIDNES VIKINGS: Holmes, Blackmore, Arundel, Gill, Foggin-Johnson, Lilley, Patton, Lawrence, Flanagan Senior, Foster, England, Wallace, Thompson

INTERCHANGES: Roby, Butler, Baldwinson, Rogers

TRIES: Foggin-Johsnon (20), Thompson (30), Lilley (79)

GOALS: Patton 2/3

POINTS SEQUENCE: 0-4, 4-4, 6-4, 6-8, 6-10, 10-10, 12-10, 16-10, 18-10, 20-10, 22-10, 24-10, 26-10, 30-10, 32-10, 32-14, 32-16

YORK’S STAR MAN: James Glover. A sensational performance from the Knights centre who was clinical from the get go.