York really must learn to turn position and possession into points.

Last week Stockton held them to a draw when they had dominated most of the match. On Saturday, against Northern, North Two East's bottom team, the Clifton Parkers never looked safe until a try by Brad Macdonald with only three minutes to go assured them of a 13-6 victory.

York were without skipper Pete Curtis and fly-half Ben Quick, both withdrawing at the last minute, with Matt Halifax and Craig Ventress coming in.

Although York dominated the game, too often they conceded possession through ill-directed kicking or through bad handling.

On a day of strong winds and heavy rain, a more controlled game was required with continuity of possession being the key.

York started the game strongly, with Northern allowing Craig Ventress's kick-off to bounce into touch and Macdonald stealing the subsequent lineout.

York then exerted pressure that was only relieved by a failed Ventress drop-goal attempt.

However, following a dropped Northern pass kicked on and chased by Stu Davies, York were soon in the Northern 22 again and should have scored but for a knock-on when they had an overlap.

The pressure finally paid off with the solid Northern defence conceding a penalty for offside, which Mike Ford kicked.

Northern soon equalised when a rare foray into York's half resulted in the York centres being caught offside under the posts, which gave winger Matthew Jinks an easy kick.

Ventress's restart kick was put deep into Northern's half where, following lengthy pressure, York were again awarded a penalty for offside but Ford missed the easy kick made difficult by the strong wind.

At last, just before half-time, York strung together some phases of play that resulted in Northern's full-back having to run the ball into touch.

At the ensuing lineout, Andy Kay secured possession at the front, the ball was driven on by the pack, sucking the Northern defence in and allowing Sean Bass to score a well-constructed try.

On a good day the kick would have been easy, but the wind blew the ball on to the post to rebound out.

This took the score to 8-3 at half-time, when veteran Dave Dorkin replaced prop Adie Martin, who had suffered a rib injury.

York pressed again from the kick-off and were awarded a penalty when Fijian winger Rob Kama, who had looked dangerous on a number of occasions in the first half, was prevented from releasing the ball. Again Mike Ford hit the post.

In the second half the poor conditions, together with over eagerness and over elaboration, prevented York from increasing the score and allowed Northern to get back into the game.

Those who had been to Stockton the previous weekend thought they were experiencing a dj vu and feared it would not be a draw snatched from the jaws of victory but a loss - with only two points separating the scores one slip in kicking range and Northern kicker Jinks could have won them the game.

However, relief came when, following a cleanly won lineout and three phases of possession, Kama, the York City Knights rugby league paceman, made one of his characteristic breaks down the wing.

He beat his opposite number in the smallest of spaces and was only stopped by an outstanding Northern tackle.

The ball was quickly recycled from the ensuing ruck and Macdonald scored wide out. Needless to say the conversion was missed.

Although York finished in the ascendancy, they really need to find the killer blow in matches they dominate.

Northern gave a gritty performance but in reality they did not threaten York's line once and yet could have stolen the game on another day.

Updated: 12:22 Monday, December 01, 2003