HAPPY Easter, my foot.

York City Knights went into the Bank Holiday weekend as early favourites in National League Two but they ended it joint-bottom with no points from two games.

Yesterday's defeat at Sheffield did not hit the same depths as Good Friday's - or rather bad Friday's - loss to Gateshead, but it was mighty disappointing just the same.

Paul Broadbent's men had convincingly beaten the Eagles twice in the Arriva Trains Cup but he was unable to enjoy a quick-fire hat-trick against his old club as the hosts took revenge - in arguably the most important clash of the lot - with a 30-24 win in a scrappy game.

The good thing for York is that form will be more crucial at the end of the season rather than the start. However, with the campaign being so short - 18 games - the quicker the Knights emerge from this slump the better.

Again chances went begging - most notably winger Rikki Sheriffe dropping the ball over the line in the last minute - yet they should still have got something out of a game they had led 24-16 with just over 20 minutes left.

But concentration levels dropped in both attack - only four sets were completed in the second half - and in defence, with the hosts storming through with three more tries.

It all began so promisingly as centre Gareth Lloyd somehow got the ball out to Sheriffe to touch down in the corner on three minutes, Adam Thaler soon adding a penalty.

However, another promising position went begging as Gavin Molloy threw the ball away on Sheffield's line with tackles in the bank, and the Eagles took play to the other end where Peter Reilly's long pass to Tony Weller saw the Aussie centre cross, Gavin Brown goaling.

The game was then hit by controversy as burly Eagle Mitchell Stringer appeared to follow through with the forearm on busy ex-Sheffield scrum-half Scott Rhodes, in a challenge so late it was nearly in next week. The touch judge saw it but referee Mike Dawber merely put the incident on report and so Stringer got away with it on the day.

He also got away with giving away a foolish penalty for lying on Molloy, Graeme Hallas missing the goal from 45 yards just before half-time.

However, by then York had already retaken the lead as Mick Ramsden broke away and sent Hallas in, Thaler goaling.

Bizarrely, the home fans had a pop at referee Dawber on the half-time hooter - the penalty count ended 11-5 in Sheffield's favour - but they were much happier on the restart as Reilly beat some poor marking and sent in Andy Poynter, player-coach Mark Aston - who was inspirational for the hosts - goaling to level.

York were soon back ahead as Rhodes and Ramsden, with a sharp pass, sent Hallas on his way from 25 yards, Thaler goaling, but the ding-dong second half continued as Greg Hurst brushed off Sheriffe with ease to make it 16-18.

Nevertheless, York seemed in control after Matt Blaymire got on the end of Rhodes' clever grubber, Thaler goaling for an eight-point lead. But then it fell apart.

On 58 minutes, good play by the Eagles saw the ball go from right to left - albeit with a blatant forward pass included - for Ian Thompson to cross, and the scores were soon level after York shot themselves in the foot, with help from the referee.

Chris Smith's restart went out on the full and then David Bolus and Hallas were harshly penalised for laying on and a high tackle respectively, which gave the hosts the field position for Simon Tillyer to prove unstoppable from 15 yards.

Brown goaled to put the hosts ahead for the first time and that lead was extended as Smith missed an interception attempt and Neil Kite crossed down the left.

York were not out of it, though, as Thaler, after good work by Krause, was halted millimetres short by a great tackle.

Gareth Stanley then missed what would have been a match-sealing drop goal at the other end and this gave York a life-line as Rhodes' bomb found its way to Krause, who could have gone alone but fed Sheriffe with the line begging. However, the ball went to ground in the corner and the last-chance saloon doors swung shut.

Sheffield: Poynter, De Chenu, Weller, Kite, Thompson, Brown, Reilly, Howieson, Stanley, Bruce, Raleigh, Brown, Tillyer.

Subs (all used): Aston, Turnbull, Hurst, Stringer.

Tries: Sheriffe 3; Hallas 35, 45; Blaymire 55.

Conversions: Thaler 35, 45, 55.

Penalties: Thaler 7

Knights: Blaymire 6, Smith 5, Lloyd 7, Hallas 8, Sheriffe 5, Thaler 6, Rhodes 7, Hayes 6, Krause 7, Burland 6, Molloy 5, Fletcher 6, Ramsden 6.

Subs (all used): Embleton 6, Broadbent 7, Stannard 6, Bolus 6.

Tries: Weller 16, Poynter 41, Hurst 48, Thompson 58, Tillyer 61, Kite 65.

Conversions: Brown 16, 61; Aston 41.

Penalties: None.

Man of the match: Graeme Hallas - showed why he has been missed with two tries and a good all-round display on his return from injury.

Referee: Mike Dawber (Wigan)

Penalty count: 11-5

HT: 6-12

Attendance: 897

Updated: 10:28 Tuesday, April 22, 2003