YORK City Knights might have opened their season with a defeat, but the result alone doesn't tell half the story.

Looking on the bright side, the loss might help keep people's feet on the ground after a pre-season of unbridled optimism.

And beyond the scoreline is the fact the Knights played for 48 minutes a man down and still ran close a team from a higher division.

That suggests Richard Agar's men did much to be pleased about, and it's fair to say there's a lot still to play for in this Arriva Trains Cup.

On the other hand, Batley deserve credit for the way they fought back from 14-0 down at the break and perhaps York can be criticised for not taking the spoils after forging such a lead.

But with such a strong wind, the game was always going to be of two halves, and arguably the Knights' biggest flaw was not making more of it in the first.

Danny Seal, who scored after four minutes in York's friendly against Leeds last week, went one better yesterday and crossed after three, ducking under an awful tackle from Andy Spink to stroll through - though scoring was made easier as covering full-back Craig Lingard was seemingly impeded by referee Ashley Klein.

The strength of the wind became apparent when Danny Brough went for goal with a penalty five yards inside his own half. There was no problem with the distance but the ball struck an upright.

The Knights rued other missed opportunities too. Two fell to Alex Godfrey, though he can be deemed unlucky on both counts.

Firstly he juggled a difficult pass from ten yards out amid a crowd of players only for Batley full-back Craig Lingard to duck in, grab the ball and break upfield.

Soon after, the fit-again winger darted out of the defensive line on his own try-line to intercept a pass but, with the entire field ahead, could not take it cleanly.

Nevertheless, it saved a try and although it gave Batley a fifth consecutive set in York territory, the defence stood impressively firm.

Half-back Scott Rhodes instigated the second try as a training ground move on 28 minutes saw Darren Callaghan burst at pace to beat two men to the line.

It was a fine finish and made amends for fouling up an earlier play-the-ball when York were well-placed.

Rhodes' next involvement was to be tackled into touch on the left, which pre-emptied the 32nd-minute all-in fracas that led to two yellow cards and all-important sending-off.

Pop Stand spectators would have had a great view as the melee spilled onto the running track but it was difficult to see from the Main Stand just how it happened.

Winger Rob Kama clearly landed a left-hander, though, and he was yellow-carded along with Batley centre Chris Spurr. Just what Craig Forsyth did was not clear, but he preceded them to the bench.

Referee Klein produced no card, though, and everyone thought it too was a sin-binning. The fact the teams learnt it was a sending-off only at half-time is hardly the mark of Super League officialdom, and hopefully the top tier ref will remember his red card should it be needed next week when he takes charge of York's Challenge Cup clash with Villeneuve.

Klein also upset the visitors when ruling out a Mark Sibson try for a forward pass and, two minutes later, when awarding York a penalty for holding down, which Brough goaled.

It had been end-to-end in the first half and was so again in the second, though Batley slowly gleaned control.

Seal touched down Brough's grubber kick as York tried to strike first, but he was deemed to be offside and, once Spurr had crossed at the other end, Batley's comeback was underway.

It was interrupted as Klein awarded York a rare penalty in front of the sticks for a supposed voluntary tackle and Brough gleefully informed visiting prop Chris Molyneux he would kick the two points (as shown above by our photographer David Harrison).

However, York's lead was cut short again on the hour as impressive hooker Joe Berry made excellent yards for Adrian Flynn to score - though the final pass looked forward.

Three minutes later, with the bit between the Bulldogs' teeth, mercurial half-back Barry Eaton's great short pass to Molyneux led to Sibson scoring.

Eaton - who has scored in every game since signing for Batley before last season - added his third of four conversions to put his side ahead for the first time.

That lead was immediately reversed as Sean Richardson dropped the high restart and, as players paused expecting a scrum award, Seal quickly reacted to pick up and set up Chris Langley to finish in style with two men on him.

Brough added his fifth goal but Eaton's boots were bigger as he first kicked a 40-20 virtually from his own goal line to set up a 68th-minute try for Berry and then added the winning conversion.

Knights: Graham 6, Godfrey 6, Langley 8, Reed 7, Kama 6, Rho-des 8, Brough 7, Hayes 8, Jack-son 8, Sozi 7, Callaghan 7, Ball 7, Seal 7. Subs (all used): Elston 7, Cain 8, Friend 6, Forsyth 5.

Tries: Seal 3; Callaghan 28; Langley 65.

Conversions: Brough 3, 28, 65.

Penalties: Brough 35, 55.

Drop goal: None.

Sin-binned: Kama 32.

Sent off: Forsyth 32.

Bulldogss: Lingard, Sibson, Spurr, Maun, Flynn, Eaton, Cass, Molyneux, Berry, Hill, Richardson, Spink, Horsley. Subs (all used): Royston, Harrison, Rourke, Rice.

Tries: Spurr 51; Flynn 60; Sibson 63; Berry 68.

Conversions: Eaton 51, 60, 63, 68.

Penalties: None

Drop goal: None

Sin-binned: Spurr 32.

Sent off: None

Man of the match:

Lee Jackson - looked class throughout, and Batley scored heavily when he was substituted

HT: 14-0

Referee: Ashley Klein (London)

Rating: Over-fussy, and the sending-off fiasco put him in the spotlight.

Penalty Count: 11-8

Game breaker: Craig Forsyth's sending-off gave Batley the extra man and the upper hand.

Attendance: 2,039

Weather watch: dry with a strong down-pitch wind.

Match rating: several talking points from entertaining game of two halves.

Updated: 11:15 Monday, February 02, 2004