SKIPPER Lee Jackson and vice-captain Danny Brough have eked ahead in the race to become the 2004 Evening Press/Collier Plant Hire player of the year.

The duo were already first and second in the table and their performances in the magical Challenge Cup win at Featherstone last week saw both add to their player-of-the-year points hauls.

Jackson was named the Evening Press man of the match and thus adds three points to his tally, while Brough collects two after a similarly superb performance as the Knights won against all odds.

That victory was achieved thanks to Alex Godfrey's late, late touchdown and the two-try winger, who was superb throughout, picks up the remaining point.

Pretty much everyone else in the team can count themselves unlucky not to be on the points-sheet after a great display - so apologies to them.

It was a similar story, if not quite as spectacular, in the previous week's home win over Fev.

Aussie battler Simon Friend made his mark on the standings with his man-of-the-match performance.

The back-row put in an incredible amount of work - as he did again last week - and just took the nod for the top prize, pipping several players.

Two of those were Nathan Graham and Aaron Wood, who picked up the remaining points. Graham showed great leadership qualities - just as he did last week - and thus picks up two points, while Wood looked strong all game despite being a doubt beforehand with a neck problem, while his incredible pass that led to Godfrey's match-winning try was alone worth the remaining point.

(Strange how sport works - a hero one week, a villain the next.)

The fact so many players played well in the double over Fev has been reflected in the fans' votes for man of the match (which is worked out via emails to peter.martini@ycp.co.uk) in the two games.

Several names were mentioned but in both games the narrow winner was Graham, completing a highly rewarding fortnight for the Scotland international against his former club.

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

Updated: 09:01 Saturday, March 20, 2004