THE brief and perhaps half-hearted chant of Cooky out' from a pocket of supporters at the end of last weekend's league defeat by Hunslet gave some indication of the fans' dismay at York City Knights' form.

Perhaps a bigger pointer, however, came yesterday, not with the lack of vocal support for Mick Cook's men, but with a turnout of just 658 for the Northern Rail Cup second-round tie against Barrow.

It is arguably an indication of some fans' fickleness as much as anything else, while the fact these ties are pay-on-the-day (and no season tickets) takes away some support, but it was still the lowest home attendance in the club's four-year history, beating the 701 that watched the Challenge Cup tie against Toulouse this year.

Ironically, it again heralded a major upturn in performance.

Unlike the Toulouse game, which brought the Knights' stand-out display this year, yesterday's tie saw another defeat, but at least this time York showed fight against a big-spending Barrow side who, even if they were missing a few first-teamers, still had most of their expensive recruits on show and are one of the favourites for the National League Two title.

It started lucklessly for the hosts as a penalty for lifting the tackled man above the horizontal' - moments after York had a similar claim waved away by referee Robert Hicks - set the field position for Darren Holt to sidestep Tabua Cakacaka for a try and conversion which brought the veteran scrum-half a new points record for the Raiders.

York soon hit back after Dave Buckley's strength won a penalty for interference. Jamaine Wray went close before Scott Rhodes took the ball on the sixth tackle and, after getting over his surprise at seeing a gap open in the defence, darted home.

Stand-off Rhodes had yet another half-back partner in Jim Elston, who switched from his usual hooking role to add some zip and sparkle into the halves. However, if the plan was also to stifle opposite number Holt, it did not succeed as, after Ryan Esders had lost possession in centre-field, Holt's grubber was touched down by Michael Basan and converted.

Oldham official Hicks came in for more stick when he gave Barrow a scrum after Wray put the ball down when concussed in a tackle close to the visitors' line. Hicks then gave Barrow a penalty for supposedly interfering a kick chase, and Holt's boot made it 14-4.

Five - yes, five - more penalties gave Barrow further chances and Holt went for goal with the fifth.

In between times, York barely touched the ball - Elston wasting their only chance after a Wray break - but while the fans' ire was directed at the official rather than the team, the Knights really needed to get and hold on to the ball.

They didn't, but still scored, as Dan Potter intercepted close to his own line and, although he didn't have the legs to go all the way, Lee Mapals was on hand to set up Ian Brown, Tom Dunmore converting to bring York back into it, against the run of play, at 16-10 at half-time.

Drop goals by Holt and Pat Weisner early in the second-half kept the visitors on top, with York handling errors in the greasy rain not helping.

However, it all changed dramatically as York upped their game and built field position and pressure, with Joe Helme, Chris Spurr (twice), John Smith and Jon Liddell all getting within inches of the try-line.

They were also aided by an improving penalty count and the sin-binning of Barrow's ex-Super League second-row Michael Smith for persistent holding down.

That was immediately followed by a try for Dunmore, superbly set up by Adam Sullivan's offload and Rhodes' perfectly timed pass. Wray's touchline conversion cut the gap to 18-16.

Referee Hicks, now getting stick from all sides, ruled out a Rayner try and helped take pressure off the visitors with penalties, but then gave one to York which brought hope of an equaliser. Wray went for goal from just inside the Barrow half but the ball sailed wide and the Raiders had somehow held on.

They thus go through to the last eight, but the last half-hour of dominance gave the Knights real hope of exacting revenge when the sides meet in the league, in Cumbria, next week.


Match facts

Northern Rail Cup Sunday, April 22, 2007 at Huntington Stadium

Knights: Rayner 7, Mapals 6, Potter 7, C Spurr 7, Dunmore 6, Rhodes 8, Elston 6, Cakacaka 7, Wray 7, Sullivan 7, Buckley 7, Brown 6, Esders 7.

Subs (all used): Liddell 7, J Smith 6, Priestley 7, Helme 7.

Tries: Rhodes 13; Brown 37; Dunmore 69.

Conversions: Dunmore 37; Wray 69.

Penalties: None.

Drop goals: None.

Sin-binned: None.

Sent off: None.

Barrow: Norman, Beach, Atkinson, Harrison, Nixon, Basan, Holt, Raftery, Ellis, Butler, M Smith, Wilcock, Weisner.

Subs (all used): Marshall, Irabor, Finch, Horton.

Tries: Holt 4; Basan 17.

Conversions: Holt 4, 17.

Penalties: Holt 24, 31.

Drop goals: Holt 41; Weisner 47.

Sin-binned: M Smith 67.

Sent off: None.

Man of the match: Scott Rhodes - did not tear through the defence but controlled things for York and was always the first man the Knights turned to for attacking inspiration.

Referee: Robert Hicks (Oldham).

Rating: A security man, sensing the fans' anger, walked with him into the tunnel at half-time - maybe a guide dog should have escorted him back out.

Penalty count: 15-13

HT: 10-16

Gamebreaker: Barrow's two drop goals were booed but they proved the difference.

Moment of the match: More an anti-moment - Michael Smith's time-wasting near the end when he could have passed for an "injured" South American footballer.

Attendance: 658.

Weather: Drizzly rain came at half-time.

Match rating: A tense and nerve-racking battle, but without a happy ending.