IT might only come as a crumb of comfort at the end of an up-and-down week, but Chris Thorman has been voted the Player of the Month by Press readers.

Sunday’s match at Dewsbury ended on a massive high for the former Super League half-back as his touchline conversion in stoppage-time earned his side a thrilling Championship victory.

But the comedown was severe as he had to undergo surgery on a broken thumb suffered in the first half.

Ironically, the deadline for votes, on Wednesday, came just as Thorman was coming out of hospital.

Nominations for the June award also came in for Anthony Thackeray, James Ford and Ryan Esders, but Thorman came out on top, and he was presented his award last night.

THE June accolade means Thorman picks up three bonus points for his Press Player of the Year tally.

The Press’s men of the match against Dewsbury on Sunday and Batley last night also collect three points, while the players we deem the second best in each game get two points apiece and the third best one point.

Against Dewsbury, the points- winners were centre James Ford (3), who set up three tries including the last-ditch decider, Thorman (2), who was a controlling and creative force throughout, despite his injury, and Nathan Freer (1), who gave a fine first stint at prop.

Against Batley, they were Freer (3), Tom Bush (2) and Alex Benson (1).

Press Player of the Year standings: Davies 15pts, Lee 15, Thorman 14, Freer 13, Straugheir 11, Bush 9, Sutton 8, Massey 7, Benson 6, Presley 5, Thackeray 5, Jones 5, Esders 5, Ford 3, Clarke 3, Stearman 3, Garside 3, Waterman 2, Lewis 2, Barlow 1.

SOME banter to finish, involving Chris Thorman and James Ford. As many of you will now, Thorman coaches the York College rugby league development team that reached the Yorkshire region semi-finals of the National Colleges Cup, where they lost to Wakefield College.

Ford, some may not know, coaches at Wakefield College, where he teaches strength and conditioning and anatomy. Ford’s assessment of that cup victory? “I reckon it makes me a better coach than Chris,” he joked.

Wakefield actually went on to win the national final, in which they beat Rochdale’s Hopwood Hall, who are coached by Matt Calland, the Championship-winning Halifax boss.

Added Ford: “That makes me a better coach than him too.”