YORK City Knights Academy boss Paul Higgins is delighted with the progress shown by his Under-21s side after they beat their counterparts from Leigh Centurions.

The young Knights had been big underdogs at New Earswick's White Rose Avenue ground on Saturday but came from 14-8 down to win 22-14.

In another bonus for the club, returning first-teamer Chris Spurr marked his first game back after his injury nightmare with a try, and fellow first-team squad-man Paul Clarke also scored.

Higgins - whose side have followed two opening defeats with a 60-point mauling of Doncaster and now this victory - said: "I was very happy with the performance.

"The confidence is growing though there's still a lot of work to do. We defended very well against a fairly strong Leigh side featuring at least two first-teamers. I'm pretty pleased. We're going in the right direction."

Knights U21s stand-off Leigh Rientoul and winger Clarke scored a try apiece for an 8-0 lead and, although Leigh hit back to go 14-8 up after the interval, York won it with tries by centre Spurr and substitute second-row Simon Wadsworth, with Danny Giles converting both and booting a penalty in between.

Updated: 11:52 Monday, May 15, 2006