| Swinton Lions 12 York City Knights 48 |
| LHF Healthplan National League Division Two - 15 August 2004 |
| York City Knights brushed
aside memories of last season's defeat at Swinton with a
comprehensive demolition of a side with two succesive
victories over fellow promotion hopefuls Hunslet Hawks
and Barrow Raiders under their belts in recent weeks. This was widely tipped as a make or break game for both sides as far as securing the one automatic promotion place was concerned, with neither side able to afford to lose. The Knights also went into the game on the back of two straight wins, following up their impressive win over Barrow a fortnight earlier with a less than impressive victory over Gateshead Thunder last week. |
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| Chris Smith tries to evade capture |
| The large following of York supporters, which helped swell the crowd to Swinton's largest of the season, took their places in Park Lane's tiny main stand and along the touchline at the opposite side of the pitch as kick off approached. But it was the Swinton faithful who had first reason to cheer as a fine move started deep on the right by winger Hugh Thorpe ended with livewire fullback Wayne English racing over beneath the posts after just four minutes. Paul Ashton added the conversion along with a penalty a few minutes later after Jimmy Elston had been penalised for obstruction, an offence which saw the hooker spend ten minutes in the sin bin. |
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| Lee Jackson screams for the ball as Mark Cain looks for support |
| The Knights soon hit
back, and after Swinton failed to prevent Danny Brough's
kick going dead, the Knights were awarded a scrum ten
metres out. From the scrum Chris Langley powered his way
over and Danny Brough tagged on the conversion. Paul Ashton slotted over a further penalty to extend the Lions lead, but it was shortlived as a fine move involving Darren Callaghan moments later ended as Danny Brough scooted through a gap to score in the corner. Brough added an excellent conversion to edge the Knights into the lead for the first time in the game. |
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| Danny Brough races away on a fifty metre dash before releasing Austin Buchanan to score |
| Ashton's third penalty
with just over five minutes of the half remaining drew
the sides level once more, but that was to be the Lions'
last score. Brough's penalty two minutes later restored
the Knights lead and from that moment on there was no
looking back. Six minutes into the scond half Brough picked up a loose ball thirty metres from his own line and set off on a race down the right touchline before feeding Austin Buchanan to race in behind the posts. Brough added the extras. The Knights next try also came from a Lions mistake as Thorpe lost the ball deep in his own half. Brough again picked up, made good ground before sending Craig Farrell in at the corner for his third try in as many games. |
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| Mark Cain keeps a close eye on a Swinton Player at Park Lane |
| Brough added a penalty
mid way through the half and then a moment of magic from
Lee Jackson saw the hooker ghost through a gap to score
behind the posts, Brough converting. Jackson added his
seconds moments later after fine work by Buchanan and
Mark Cain followed that up by grabbing the Knights
seventh try of the afternoon after coolly reaching over
the line to score. With time running out Chris Spurr raced through a gap down the left to take play to within twenty metres, and with Swinton stretched and looking tired, the Knights quickly moved the ball right where John Smith was on hand to power his way over the line. Brough added the extras once more to take his personal tally for the game to twenty points, but more importantly, his season's total to 316 points, just two adrift of Graham Steadman's all-time York record for points in a season set back in 1984-85. |
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| Chris Langley congratulates Lee Jackson after his second try of the game |