YORK City Knights claimed their second pre-season victory with a 48-12 win at Gateshead yesterday but it was difficult to determine what other pluses boss Dave Woods could get from the game.
The Knights not only failed to achieve their main goal of nilling their Championship One opponents, or indeed of defending well, but they also picked up a worrying injury, with second-row Matt Barron – on his return to his former club – being helped off with a potentially serious groin problem.
Additionally, fit-again Ryan Esders was up to his old misdemeanours again, being sin-binned in either half, firstly for fighting with Nick Staveley – the one-time Knights trialist – and later for booting the ball away after a refereeing decision had gone against him.
Such aggression and frustration needs to be channelled much better.
Furthermore, the first quarter had not been much of a test for Woods’ men – rather it was bordering on farce as they rattled up 22 points in 14 minutes, with Gateshead not touching the ball for the opening 17. When they finally got possession, they promptly lost it early in the tackle count and conceded a fifth try.
Luckily for everyone, they improved.
To be fair to the Tynesiders, they had fielded a team made up largely of reserves, trialists and – given the fact the host club did not produce a complete teamsheet for the press – apparent ‘nobodies’ in the first half, saving their supposed first-choice line-up for the second half.
That the Knights should concede two tries to this ramshackle bunch late in the stanza was therefore particularly galling, especially as Woods had asked for tight defence.
In fairness, too, to the Knights, they had likewise not started with a full-strength squad – although it’s still hard to guess what Woods’ first-choice line-up will be, a task not made easier by this fixture.
Moreover it can be perhaps forgiveable to switch off once a 32-0 lead has been easily acquired in 24 minutes.
But the Aussie coach had also demanded no complacency throughout the 80 minutes, as he stepped up preparations for next Sunday’s big kick off at Barrow.
Duane Straugheir had got the scoreboard ticking over with 83 seconds on the clock. He out-jumped Ollie O’Malia – assuming it was O’Malia in Gateshead’s number three shirt – to catch an impromptu Esders chip and touch down. Esders had also been prominent in the build-up, showing what a danger he can be if he cuts out the nonsense.
Matt Garside got on the end of a Scott Woods kick to score against his former club, and Esders and Dave Sutton also got on the scoresheet with simple tries after the hapless O’Malia had dropped kicks.
Danny Wilson finished the Knights’ fifth try – and first not from a kick – and Thorman, who was taken off at half-time, breezed through and added his fourth goal for that 32-0 lead.
In between those two tries, Esders and Staveley had been given ten minutes in the sin-bin for their set-to.
And it was the hosts who made most of the extra spaces.
Firstly Craig Olugbode – we think – crossed in the corner, although, in mitigation for York, both Barron and trialist Adam Howard were having treatment on the pitch, leaving the Knights down to ten men at the time.
Forward Howard had done okay, his flowing dreadlocks helping him to catch the eye.
Dan Mole, starting in place of the ill Dennis Tuffour, naively jumped out of the defensive line – but missed the interception – to give Joe Causer an easy touchdown.
And it became 32-12 soon after half-time as Andrew Morris scored for Gateshead’s “proper” team and, while not too much can ever be read into friendlies like these, the Knights will know that such defending will be heavily punished throughout the year by fitter, faster, bigger, better Championship opposition.
Esders soon got his second yellow card but this time it cost little as substitute Lee Waterman laid claim for a start back at centre with a typical Lee Waterman finish.
Staveley also got a second yellow for tackling around the neck and Thunder were duly punished as left-winger Mole finished a good move, and Paul Stamp superbly set up Jonny Presley to scamper home.
Waterman completed the scoring with a 90-metre sprint after intercepting a kick to further enhance his credentials, though he missed all three of his goal attempts in those fetching pink charity boots.
Mole, who generally did okay, also hit a post with a simple conversion – on a day in which York missed many of their goals.
Knights: Haynes, Wilson, Straugheir, Sutton, Mole, Thorman, Woods, Benson, Gray, Howard, Garside, Barron, Esders.
Subs (all used): Barlow, Waterman, Stearman, Lynch, Jones, Stamp, Mortimer, Presley, Smith, Rice.
Tries: Straugheir 2; Garside 7; Esders 10; Sutton 14; Wilson 18; Thorman 24; Waterman 56, 75; Mole 62; Presley 66.
Goals: Thorman 7, 10, 14, 24.
Sin-binned: Esders 22, 53.
Gateshead tries: Olugbode 32; Causer 37; Morris 43.
Referee: Jamie Leahy.
Attendance: 335.
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