IT is interesting to note the relative points for and against records of Mick Cook's team compared to Richard Agar's class of 2004.

Cook came to Huntington Stadium with a reputation for being keen on defence, a fact backed up by his desire this week to secure the lowest points-against statistic in the league.

Agar, on the other hand, was thought by some to be an attacking coach with points-for the main priority.

However, respective records - going on statistics alone, and notwithstanding the comparative levels in competition or cup runs - would suggest otherwise.

Agar's team scored 630 points in their 18 league games last season and conceded 308 - by far the best for and against stats in the division. Cook's team, meanwhile, have scored 629 points with two games still to go (easily the best), and have conceded 326 (second-best after Dewsbury).

Cook's team have also been involved in more close matches, and some time ago, the Knights chief underlined his thoughts on the issue.

He said: "We've got the best points-difference in the competition at the moment, which we're really happy with.

"But, without wanting to dwell on last season, the Knights had the best records in defence and offence last year and finished second.

"At the end of the day you need competition points to get the best places."

HUNSLET player Dan Cook is thankfully not as badly injured as first feared when he was stretchered off in a brace during the Hawks' match against the Knights two weeks ago.

Cook injured his neck but was expected to be okay to play this weekend.

As an aside, Hawks coach Roy Sampson has reportedly sent a video of that match to the RFL as part of a complaint about the performance of the officials, bemoaning in particular Hunslet's two sin-binnings and the disallowed stoppage-time try.

I wonder if he has edited out the high tackles and/or inverted the picture of that 'try' to make the forward pass backward. Anyway, who cares?

THE five winners of the Evening Press competition, run in conjunction with the Knights, to win a family ticket to tomorrow's game are:

Mr N Phillips, of Green Hammerton; Mr P Daly, of Barlby; T Dearlove, of Dunnington; R Watkinson, of Huntington; and Mr DF Ellis, of Acomb Road, York.

They correctly answered that Lee Paterson scored the late match-winning penalty at Hunslet that sealed the NL2 title.

Updated: 09:25 Saturday, September 03, 2005