PLAYER-COACH Paul Broadbent hailed the pride and never-say-die attitude in his squad after they registered their fourth win in five games.

Broadbent's injury-hit troops shocked Dewsbury in a thriller at Ram Stadium, coming from 14-0 and 18-6 down to win 28-24.

The Knights thus avenged a defeat at Huntington Stadium in February and recorded their second win over Division One opposition in the Arriva Trains Cup campaign.

Dewsbury, the Knights' cross-Section opponents in the ATC, are also top of the Central group.

Broadbent said: "We had a bad start but credit to the guys, they're really gritty and they never throw the towel in.

"These guys are a good bunch and they stick at their task. Although we can't go through (into the ATC knockout stages), the players we've got are not the kind of people who think we've got nothing to play for. They want to win for York and they put their bodies on the line for York."

The Knights have just one more ATC match, at home to Featherstone next Sunday, before the Division Two campaign kicks off on Good Friday at home to Gateshead, who enjoyed their first victory in two years when they beat Workington 42-12 yesterday.

"We're heading in the right direction with the league almost upon us and it's good we're starting to produce consistency," said Broadbent.

"We've had four wins in five and we've got to keep that ball rolling."

Broadbent was critical of the team's opening quarter, admitting he wasn't happy with his own performance.

He said: "It seems that in every game we spend 20 minutes on our own line where we're on the back foot. Yesterday, that 20-minute block came at the start.

"If nobody ever made any errors the game would not be worth playing, but it's about minimising the number of mistakes.

"I don't want to be in a situation where we are going into the league season and mistakes or these 20-minute blocks are costing us. The sooner we can get our heads round that the sooner we will be a consistent team.

"But we turned it round. I don't want us to be a yo-yo team where we win one week but lose the next; we want to produce the goods consistently and play quality rugby and I think we've got the guys who can do that."

The Knights had five first-teamers out injured, while former Dewsbury scrum-half Scott Rhodes was not allowed to play due to a clause in the transfer deal that brought him to York.

But Broadbent praised his squad and had a special word for those who came in. "Some guys have been on the edges for a while and this was an opportunity for them to throw their hat in the ring," he said.

"I don't want to have an easy job picking the team and if everybody is playing well and pushes for a place it gives us a few nice headaches.

"Michael Embleton deserves a mention. He's had a rough deal recently when he's been on the bench and then left out but he's hauled himself up and done a great job for us in the second row. Hopefully, he can start to take things forward and make progression."

Updated: 12:10 Monday, April 07, 2003