COACH Richard Agar today had a wonderful selection dilemma after his much-changed York City Knights line-up won an ill-tempered clash at Featherstone to complete a memorable hat-trick over the National League One side.

Agar brought seven players into the side which beat Dewsbury on Sunday while only three donned the same shirt, yet the new-look team upset 11-man Rovers 36-26, a result which surpassed the shock 29-26 Challenge Cup win at Fev last month and the preceding 18-16 Arriva Trains Cup triumph.

And the Knights chief admitted he had some fine food for thought ahead of the big NL2 opener against Chorley at Huntington Stadium on Monday (ko 3pm).

"I thought we were outstanding," said Agar, who will pick his side for Monday after checking up on injuries to Dan Briggs (hamstring), Damian Ball (dislocated finger) and Danny Brough (leg) tomorrow.

"I could not have asked for more. I'm absolutely delighted with the way we played.

"We had one or two changes and a lot of experience on the bench and the sidelines... but the performances last night have got to have an effect (on selection). The entire team was outstanding.

"My only gripe is it was on a Friday with the next game on Monday and I'm not sure two days is enough to recover. But it's the same for everyone."

Last night's game was a fiery affair with Featherstone having two men sent off plus two sin-binned while York also had two players yellow-carded.

Agar would not comment on Rovers' rough-house tactics but said: "I thought we faced some pretty ordinary stuff and I'm very pleased with the way we kept our discipline. I thought my team did not fall to that level."

He added: "The sendings-off and the scrappiness helped them to be honest. When it became scrappy it was a bit of anything goes and a bit of a lottery in the last 20 minutes."

The win confirmed the Knights, already guaranteed qualification to the quarter-final play-offs of the ATC, finished second in the Yorkshire group - though the result was ultimately academic as results elsewhere meant Featherstone also progressed as the best third-placed club.

"Every week we're putting on good performances and they've not stopped short of amazing me," added Agar of his squad.

"We had nothing realistic to play for apart from shirts and we were playing a very good team, but we played some outstanding rugby league and some great defence in the face of what I thought were some dubious tactics."

One of the incomers to shine was Mark Stewart, who switched to loose-forward and scored two tries, while Scott Walker also did well after replacing Nathan Graham at full-back.

"Mark has been stuck on the wing but we know it's not his position and we asked him where he wanted a run," explained Agar. "He said at 13 and it was an inspired choice. He put in a towering performance. We've got some great competition for places (in the back row) and it will be tough for him but he showed he's got another good string to his bow. Scott Walker also impressed and showed we can rely on him."

Updated: 10:18 Saturday, April 10, 2004