PERHAPS it is apt that York RL's second-ever game at Bootham Crescent, and first for 15 years, has a Bootham-based business among the sponsors.

The Knights face Gates-head at York City's football ground in an Arriva Trains Cup group clash on Wednesday (ko 8pm) - the game was rearranged from tomorrow due to York's progress in the Challenge Cup - and fervent fan Richard Seymour's business, CE Seymour Tailors, is the man of the match sponsor.

As for the accolade itself, it would be most coincidental if in-form Aussie star Simon Friend gets the nod - as Richard's grandson, Ben, is Friend's sponsor.

Readers may recall that little Ben became the youngest player sponsor on record when as a new-born baby at the start of this season he backed Rich Hayes. The prop has since retired, of course (barring his Chal-lenge Cup heroics), and so Ben has shifted his sponsorship to the Aussie back-row.

TALKING of Simon Friend, the Aussie has moved up several places in the Collier Plant Hire/ Evening Press player-of-the-year table after claiming his second man-of-the-match accolade in three weeks.

Friend was clearly the Knights' stand-out player in the defeat at Batley last Sunday and he therefore picks up three player-of-the-year points. He also collects the bonus point having received the unanimous man-of-the-match vote from the fans.

It wasn't the best of performances from the Knights, but Darren Callaghan worked hard as usual and collects two points while Scott Rhodes tried to inject some alacrity at times and collects the remainder.

Standings: Jackson 10pts, Brough 8, Friend 7, Graham 6, Ball 5, Forsyth 5, Elston 4, Langley 3, Callaghan 3, Briggs 2, Rhodes 2, J Smith 1, Wood 1, Godfrey 1.

Updated: 11:39 Saturday, March 27, 2004