YORK City Knights boss Richard Agar was a proud man after watching his charges tear Halifax apart to march into the semi-finals of the Arriva Trains Cup yesterday.

The Knights became the first Healthplan National League Two side to ever reach the last four of the competition after trouncing the NL1 big-guns - who were in Super League only last season - 37-14 at The Shay.

The victory not only increased the club record winning sequence to six games but also took York RL to its first major semi-final since the old club reached the Challenge Cup last four in 1984.

The Knights, who had knocked out another NL1 club, Featherstone, in the quarter-final play-offs, now visit a third, Hull KR, on June 27 for a place in the final.

"Our team fronted up really well," said Agar of yesterday's triumph. "It was not the first time and won't be the last time that we've come up against a significantly bigger team but each time we've come up with the goods. The so-called small men have got big hearts."

The Knights were aided by a 12-5 penalty count in their favour, Halifax's lack of discipline costing them.

Said Agar: "We'd highlighted the discipline aspect, we knew that would be an issue and in the bigger picture it contributed to our win.

"We got a lot of ball to play with and, certainly later in the game, our good discipline and good use of the football told on the scoreboard."

He added: "There were many candidates for man of the match. Damian Ball was outstanding, Chris Langley and Austin Buchanan were amazing in defence and attack down the right hand side. Lee Jackson marshalled us well again. But you could take one from any number of players to take the award.

"We pride ourselves on the team aspect. Man of the match is a nice sideline but it's really a team issue."

Agar also had more words of praise for the Knights supporters, who made up more than half of the 1,840 crowd and afforded their team non-stop vocal backing.

"They were exceptional from start to finish," he said. "They were extremely loud. I was sat in the opposite stand and me and (chief executive) Steve Ferres were joining in at one point."

However, the victory has come at a cost. Agar explained: "The league remains our priority and we wanted to come out of it unscathed but we've got a stack of new injuries."

They include Mick Ramsden (ankle), Dan Briggs (stitches in head wound) and Simon Friend (dead leg), who all had to come off, while Damian Ball (shoulder), Aaron Wood (back) and Yusuf Sozi, whose ankle problem has worsened, all played on through injury.

Updated: 10:29 Monday, June 07, 2004