THE two previous York v Featherstone matches this season have had pretty much everything.

Last night's clash might not have had the heart-stopping finales but, if anything, it was even more fiery as an underlying current, a bit of winding up by the occasionally cocksure Knights and a tiny fuse on Rovers' behalf brought plenty of aggro, two red cards for the hosts and a brace of yellows to both sides.

To the Knights' glee, it also brought a third victory for Richard Agar's men, as even with a much-changed line-up they surpassed last month's stunning victories over his old club with another wonderful performance and a 36-26 triumph - and yet more bragging rights on and off the pitch.

Featherstone had of course needed to win to be sure of progressing to the Arriva Trains Cup quarter-final play-offs, yet they tried to do too much point-scoring away from the try-line and the resultant sendings-off either side of half-time ended their hopes of revenge.

Ironically enough, however, all the ire was academic - and in that sense unnecessary - as both sides ended up qualifying courtesy of Keighley's defeat of Hunslet in another group, which saw Rovers go through as the best third-placed team.

Agar, with qualification already guaranteed and with one eye on Monday's National League Two opener at home to Chorley, instigated a major rejig, with 14 alterations - including seven different players - to the 17 that beat Dewsbury last Sunday.

There was also a late reshuffle as Tom Andrews, due for a front row berth, pulled a muscle in training, with Damian Ball, due to be rested, coming on to the bench.

Only winger Alex Godfrey and half-backs Scott Rhodes and Danny Brough kept the same shirt they had against Dewsbury, while one of the big experiments was switching Mark Stewart, previously used as a centre or winger, to loose-forward - and he quickly made a point.

His crunching tackle handed York their first attack in which he broke through some albeit weak tackling to score a fine individual try.

Brough converted and added a goal as York, aided by early penalties, controlled the opening quarter, in which Godfrey also had a try ruled out for a forward pass.

The early exchanges also saw Richard Newlove and Darren Callaghan sin-binned for fighting 30 yards behind play - a fired-up Callaghan bellowing "you're soft" at his foe as he left the field. This was only the beginning.

Gradually the hosts came back into it as referee Colin Morris reversed the penalty count, and they soon went ahead courtesy of tries by Jamie Stokes and Matty Wray, plus two conversions and two controversial penalties from Carl Briggs.

Then, just as half-time threatened to quell the simmering fires, a minor hell broke loose.

Rhodes fed Mark Stewart and both were simultaneously taken out with high shots, sparking bother.

Newlove was shown an immediate red for the hit on Stewart and Bryan Henare was sin-binned presumably for the one on Rhodes. Bizarrely, Rhodes was also shown yellow, with mouthing off the only explanation.

Brough goaled the penalty and after another Fev spill, Callaghan's arcing run and fine long pass saw Godfrey notch his seventh try in three games.

Callaghan's celebration involved goading an opponent - though he seemed to revel in the role of bad guy all game and at one stage even found getting punched in the face humorous, though he was probably laughing at the ref's decision to penalise not the aggressor but himself for provocation.

Featherstone, although a man down, started the second half well as Steve Dooler crossed from dummy-half.

But then the Knights took control and Fev lost it, in more ways than one.

Brough's bomb was spilled by Stokes and the alert scrum-half picked up and ran to the sticks, then Chris Langley broke through and gave Stewart his second try, Brough goaling both.

It might have been the sledging or the fact they now trailed 26-20, but either way Fev needed little winding up, and Jim Carlton was next to see red after an off-the-ball incident which left Mark Cain on the floor. Carlton gave the finger to the crowd as he left.

Soon after, another silly foul saw the hard-working Callaghan take a quick tap and dart over - as if he needed more to wind Rovers up about.

The hosts not for the first time upped the aggression and it seemed to pay off as York were trapped in their own 30 - until Jim Elston chipped the ten-man line, re-gathered and ignored the support to race past the full-back.

The Fev fans - not sure whether to have a go at their team, the ref or the Knights - left in droves and thus many did not see Stokes' second try, not that it mattered.

The draw for the play-offs, meanwhile, is on Wednesday and God knows what will happen if these sides meet again.

Rovers: Moss, Stokes, Feehan, Newlove, Wray, Presley, C Briggs, Jarrett, Chapman, Dickens, Dooler, Henare, Hayes. Subs (all used): Ford, Darley, Tonks, Carlton.

Tries: Stokes 21, 78; Wray 28; Dooler 44.

Conversions: Briggs 19, 28, 78.

Penalties: Briggs 22, 33.

Sin-binned: New-love 6; Henare 38.

Sent off: Newlove 38; Carlton 53.

Knights: Walker 8, Kama 8, Callaghan 9, Cain 8, Godfrey 8, Rhodes 8, Brough 8, D Briggs 8, Elston 9, Forsyth 8, Ramsden 8, J Smith 9, Stewart 9. Subs (all used): Graham 8, Ball 7, Langley 8, Burland 8.

Tries: Stewart 2, 49; Godfrey 40; Brough 47; Callaghan 55; Elston 63.

Cons: Brough 2, 47, 49, 55.

Penalties: Brough 10, 38.

Sin-binned: Callag-han 6, Rhodes 38.

Sent off: None.

Man of the match: Darren Callaghan - revelled in winding up his opponents and then meeting them head on, but at the same time not forgetting he was there to win a rugby match.

HT: 16-14

Ref: Colin Morris (Huddersfield)

Rating: Lost control at times but not half as much as Rovers.

Penalty Count: 12-11

Gamebreaker: The second red card followed soon after by Daz Callaghan's try killed any chance of a comeback.

Attendance: 1,435

Weather watch: dry, mild, still.

Match rating: rough, tough and ill-tempered - and another wonderful win.

Updated: 10:29 Saturday, April 10, 2004