YORK City Knights boss Dave Woods remained unsure about the new one-day format in the Northern Rail 9s but was happy with his side’s showing.

As reported on Saturday, the Knights missed out on a semi-final berth in the annual nine-a-side tournament after losing to Keighley Cougars in their final group match, both sides having beaten Workington and Whitehaven in their first two games.

More importantly for Woods, who had fielded six first-team regulars and seven youngsters in a 13-man squad, they came away from Blackpool’s Woodlands Memorial Ground unscathed.

“We haven’t got any injuries and that’s the main thing,” said the Aussie, who had included Chris Thorman, Chris Clough, Nathan Freer, Tom Lineham, Mike Mitchell and Jack Lee in his 9s party.

“We wanted to come here and play and enjoy it, and not come away with injuries and that’s what we’ve done.”

The youngsters in the squad were Ed Smith, Dan Mole, Dec Malarkey, student Callum Dinsdale, York Acorn ARLC product Matt Woods and two former academy players returning from long injury absences, Adam Caddie and Oliver Wilcox-Harrison.

“I thought some of the young kids did great,” added the coach. “Look at Keighley – that was their first-team squad. Our young blokes did good. It’s a different type of rugby league, but we saw our young blokes have got ability.”

As for the tournament as a whole, which was reduced to one day from two to save on cost and was won by Championship side Halifax, Woods said: “It was a good day out. They’ve had enjoyment and it’s a bit of fun.

“Our biggest problem was the three-hour break between our second and last game. Two days I think would be better and maybe at this time of year players might rather a weekend off, but it’s been okay.”

The Knights had kicked off by coming from behind to beat Workington 10-6 with tries by Jack Lee and Chris Thorman, the latter adding a drop-kick conversion.

They then beat Whitehaven 26-14, teenage winger Mole showing good feet to score the first two tries, while Lee, Malarkey and Smith also crossed, with Thorman adding three goals.

After a wander around Blackpool to kill time, the Knights lost to Keighley, the result proving controversial.

Players and spectators, including The Press, had the final score as 26-14, Keighley having goaled only one of their six tries, but match commissioner Steve Nicholson had the final score as 28-14, and these extra two points meant the Cougars went through to the semi-finals instead of Leigh Centurions.

The new format saw each of the 18 competing clubs play three group games apiece, but with all results compiled in one composite table and the top four going into the semi-finals.

Sheffield, Halifax, Swinton and Keighley, all with 100 per cent records, occupied the leading places – with the Cougars only above Leigh on tries scored after their points-difference was equal, thanks to the two controversial extras. Hunslet also missed out despite also winning all three of their matches.

The Knights’ try-scorers in this last game were Clough, Thorman and Smith, Thorman adding one goal.

Keighley went on to lose in the semi-finals to Sheffield, while Fax beat Swinton with a ‘golden try’ in extra time before defeating the Eagles 16-4 in the final to lift the trophy.