Knights 44, Rams 7

Winger Alex Godfrey is in scintillating try-scoring form at the moment. Having racked up three in midweek against Gateshead, he did the same to Dewsbury yesterday as York City Knights cut loose towards the end to win 44-7 and guarantee progression to the knockout stages of the Arriva Trains Cup.

Only a defeat by 40-odd points to Featherstone on Good Friday will see Rovers leapfrog York into second place in the Yorkshire Group, but even then the Knights will qualify for the quarter-final play-offs as the best third-placed team in the competition.

Godfrey's exploits - ten tries in seven ATC games - have played their part, but just as important as the finishing is the hard graft in centre field, which was very much to the fore yesterday. Indeed, if ever a first half was about arm wrestling then this was it - and back-row Simon Friend effectively played the part of Sylvester Stallone in macho movie 'Over The Top'.

The Aussie, who was presented with the first-ever Knights Player of the Month award - as voted for by readers of the Evening Press - before the game, then gave his usual 110 per cent on the way to his third Evening Press man-of-the-match accolade in five weeks.

And, with similar efforts coming elsewhere in the pack, the proverbial platform was set for Danny Brough and, perhaps more notably, half-back partner Scott Rhodes to open up, especially after the break as the Knights racked up 34 points in the second half, including 18 in the last five minutes to give the scoreline a slightly flattering look.

They had led 10-7 at the interval, thanks to that man Godfrey's finishing skills, with tries at the beginning and end of the half.

Dewsbury spilled the ball early and on the last tackle of York's first attack, Brough's chip to the corner was taken by the 25-year-old flier, who looked to be crowded out but managed to get over.

Then, as the clock ticked down, the Brough-Godfrey combination worked again as the former's grubber was touched down by the latter coming in off the wing.

In between times, the winger's other major contribution was to lose the ball on the first tackle in his own half and from Dewsbury's first real attack former Knight Darren Robinson scuttled over under the sticks, with another ex-Knight, Adam Thaler, converting.

The Knights had a try harshly ruled out as Aaron Wood's momentum bounced him over the line only for the referee to deem it a double-movement. But, even so, they tailed off after controlling the opening exchanges, and Dewsbury began to have more possession and territory.

Robinson added a 40-yard drop goal, missing another 30-yard attempt, as the Rams tried to make use of the down-pitch wind, and they perhaps deserved to go in ahead at the break.

But York found new impetus towards the end of the period, culminating in Godfrey's second try, and that vigour was still there after the break - all the more commendable given that this was their third game in eight days.

A couple of early tries killed the game off and, with the wind at York's backs, the half proved to be a pretty one-sided affair, with Dewsbury rarely threatening.

Brough was the creator again when arguably the best set of the match ended with the scrum-half delaying his pass perfectly for Ryan Benjefield to stroll over three minutes after the break.

The on-loan prop then turned provider as a similarly superb set ended with the ball going through several hands, with Benjefield giving a fine pass out of the tackle to Friend. The Aussie charged through, bounced the unfortunate full-back onto the turf and extravagantly dived over.

The game settled down after this early onslaught but only one team were going to score again and the next try came courtesy of Rhodes' brilliance. A hop and skip on half-way was followed not by a jump but by a sprint as the stand-off dashed through to give the scoring pass to Nathan Graham.

That rapid acceleration brought Rhodes himself a try as he got the first of the three late scores. He stopped, threw the world's most ridiculous dummy, and like a rabbit on speed darted in.

Some great hands in the next attack ended with Craig Forsyth throwing the ball right, where Chris Langley picked up well to score.

But if Langley's pick-up was good, then Darren Callaghan's fingertips-on-the-toes job while going at full pelt was breathtaking, and Godfrey was the beneficiary as he became the first-ever Knight to score two hat-tricks for the club - though Callaghan rightly received acclaim from the crowd too.

Brough booted his sixth goal on the hooter to complete the win.

Match facts:

Arriva Trains National League Cup

Yorkshire section

Sunday, April 4, 2004

at Huntington Stadium

Knights 44, Rams 7

Knights: Graham 8, Walker 7, Langley 7, Wood 7, Godfrey 8, Rhodes 9, Brough 7, Benjefield 8, Jackson 7, Sozi 8, Andrews 7, Friend 9, Ball 8. Subs (all used): Elston 8, Seal 7, Callaghan 8, Forsyth 8.

Tries: Godfrey 2, 40, 80; Benjefield 43; Friend 46; Gra-ham 57; Rhodes 75; Langley 78.

Conversions: Brough 40, 43, 57, 75, 78, 80.

Penalties: None.

Drop goals: None.

Sin-binned: None.

Sent off: None.

Man of the match: Simon Friend - was an injury doubt beforehand but gave another 110 per cent effort as the Knights' player of the month for March started April with a blast.

Rams: Preece, Hearnard, Redfearn, Kirke, Williamson, Thomas, A Thaler, Hicks, Robinson, Naidole, Crouthers, Thewliss, Spink. Subs (all used): Mycoe, Tennant, Naddle, M Gibbons.

Tries: Robinson 12.

Conversion: Thaler 12.

Penalties: None.

Drop goal: Robinson 23

Sin-binned: None.

Sent off: None.

HT: 10-7

Ref: Bob Connolly (Wigan).

Rating: Started well, tailed off a bit, but not too bad.

Penalty Count: 9-10.

Gamebreaker: York's two tries shortly after the restart sent them clear.

Attendance: 1,204.

Weather watch: Cold, wet and windy first half, cold and windy second.

Match rating: Hard-working first half, opened out slightly in the second before York finished with a flourish.

Updated: 11:21 Monday, April 05, 2004