YORK'S hastily arranged friendly at Keighley saw the West Yorkshire club pull off a 23-19 deserved victory with a fine try in the dying minutes of the game.

Injury, rest and experimental selections saw York field only five of the team from the previous Saturday's victory over Wheatley Hills.

However, it was a useful outing as York held their own against a club leading the league below and appearing certainties to obtain promotion to Yorkshire One.

Keighley's quality was apparent from the start as forwards linked with backs in fluent handling moves which afforded them a firm territorial advantage. It was some 15 minutes before York got into the game and both flyhalf Nick Kay and inside centre Rob Taylor made breaks and lock Brad Macdonald was prominent.

But York took the lead when left wing Rob Karma made an interception 30 minutes out and cantered in for an unconverted try.

Early in the second quarter Kay kicked a penalty but Keighley responded with a penalty which Johnny Harrison converted when York killed the ball.

Keighley narrowed the deficit further when pressure was rewarded with an offside penalty for Scott Amos to convert.

York's fortunes were restored somewhat fortuitously when Sam Arkle tried a drop kick which rebounded off a Keighley forward to Kay who set up another try for Karma. Kay could not convert but an interval lead of 13-6 represented York's ability to score if they could secure possession.

York started the second half by replacing Kay with Ben Quick and prop Simon Humphries with Tom Crittendon. Before they settled York lost two balls against the head, which Keighley converted into attack as they proved adept at retaining possession.

Pressure told and Keighley exploited some sloppy defence to send full-back Carl Smith on the overlap for an unconverted try in the right corner.

Keighley continued their fluent handling game and York generally had the pace to regroup and close them down with Taylor showing good tackling skills in the centre.

Eventually Keighley prevailed as lock Peter Salmon took the final pass for another unconverted try in the right corner.

At 16-13 in arrears York were indebted to Quick for some huge relieving kicks and he equalised the scores with a thumping penalty from over 40 metres out.

Entering the final quarter, Quick repeated the feat with an equally long kick as Keighley were penalised for crossing.

York looked like holding on but, in the last five minutes, Keighley full back Smith came into the line to score on the right and Amos made an excellent conversion to give his club their fourth victory of the season over senior opposition.

York had the consolation of learning that their promotion rivals, Old Brodleians, had drawn their Yorkshire One fixture against Old Crossleyans thereby affording York extra breathing space in their quest to hold on to second position as they contemplate the visit of Dinnington next Saturday.

Updated: 12:51 Monday, January 27, 2003