AT 3.20pm yesterday, York City Knights were threatening one of the biggest shocks in rugby league history.

An under-strength Knights side led 4-0 at Super League club Huddersfield Giants and were good value for it, too.

By 3.23pm, the Giants had hit back and never lost the lead again, but defeat should not detract from the battling display put on by Mick Cook's men.

Forget the 38-4 scoreline and don't worry about how Huddersfield performed.

The fact is the Knights flew the flag high for National League rugby, displaying hearts of lions throughout, most notably when holding out for eight consecutive sets in the second half.

It was not without cost, however. Half-back Scott Rhodes - arguably the best player on the pitch in the opening 20 minutes - limped off just moments after Player of the Month Jason Golden was stretchered off.

Rhodes returned in the second half after fears of a broken metatarsal abated, but Golden was taken to hospital with a strss fracture of the leg and will certainly miss the vital upcoming National League One matches, starting with next week's trip to Batley, where the Knights really could do with a win.

Cook's team selection suggested he had had one eye on that game.

Already shorn of half a team due to injuries and three players being cup-tied, Cook rested leading prop Adam Sullivan and half-back Phil Hasty, with Paul Thorman getting to play against his brother Chris' team (although Chris was out injured).

This meant a nap hand of front-line players will be fresh come the Batley game - and Cook will be thankful for that especially given the injury to Golden.

Giants boss Jon Sharp, conversely, made few changes to the team that had ended St Helens' winning start to the season and beaten Super League's surprise package Salford - thus according York due respect.

Great early defence by the Knights set the tone for the match. Full-back Matt Blaymire pulled off a thumping tackle on Jim Gannon, Thorman stopped James Evans before the line and Craig Farrell halted Stuart Jones. Lee Paterson tackled anything that moved.

At the other end, a lively, basketball-style attack nearly broke through the home defence, and soon York forced a drop-out following a clever Blaymire kick.

Losing Golden was a major blow but teenage substitute Nathan Priestley, despite some errors with the ball, showed promise, not least with try-saving tackles on Brad Drew and Tom Hemingway.

And the Knights tempered the loss of the ace second-row by immediately going ahead as Blaymire's hot-shoe shuffle opened a gap to the line.

The lead was sweet but short. A simple knock-on from a 20-metre restart gave the Giants the ball back and Chris Nero ran in, Michael De Vere goaling the first of his five conversions.

Rhodes, who had been causing trouble running at the line, then limped off and the Knights' attacking options were thus limited, and they fell 12-4 behind before half-time as Nero skidded over.

Lee Lingard pulled off a try-saver on Martin Aspinwall early in the second half, while a thumping John Smith challenge denied the giant Wayne McDonald, but a few fumbles and Huddersfield's superb kicking game meant York had to tough it out in defence for long periods.

Home scores had to be expected but they were restricted to tries by James Evans, De Vere and, as the Giants turned the screw with several drop-outs, Paul March and Stuart Donlan (2) also crossed.

The nearest the visitors came to adding to their tally was when a decent attack ended with Thorman's grubber forcing a drop-out.

But all the time the loyal and loud band of Knights supporters were "York and proud of it" - and rightly so.

Match facts:

Giants 38, Knights 4

Giants: Reilly, Aspinwall, Evans, De Vere, Donlan, March, Paul, Jackson, Drew, Gannon, Nero, Raleigh, Jones. Subs (all used): Crabtree, Snitch, McDonald, Hemingway.

Tries: Nero 23, 35; Evans 49; De Vere 52; March 65; Donlan 68, 74.

Conversions: De Vere 23, 35, 49, 65, 74.

Penalties: None.

Drop-goals: None.

Sin-binned: None.

Sent off: None.

Knights: Blaymire 9, Lingard 8, Farrell 8, Law 8, Clarke 7, Rhodes 8, Thorman 7, Helme 8, Liddell 7, Bates 8, Buckley 8, Golden 6, Paterson 8. Subs (all used): Priestley 6, Ward 7, Smith 7, O'Loughlin 8.

Tries: Blaymire 20.

Conversions: None.

Penalties: None.

Drop-goals: None.

Sin-binned: None.

Sent off: None.

Man of the match: Matt Blaymire - excellent in defence and added to the attack whenever he could, capping his display with a fine try.

HT: 12-4

Referee: Richard Silverwood (Mirfield).

Rating: Okay.

Attendance: 2,355.

Penalty count: 7-6.

Gamebreaker: Huddersfield's second try on 35 minutes opened up a gap that the Knights were unlikely to claw back.

Moment of the match: Either the three minutes after Matt Blaymire's try in which York led, or the constant chanting of the supporters.

Weather watch: wet, though the rain held off for a bit in the second half.

Match rating: The first half was excellent and, while it became a bit like attack v defence in the second, there was a lot of pride in the Knights' performance.

Updated: 11:16 Monday, May 22, 2006