| York City Knights 38 Leeds Rhinos 24 |
| Friendly - 3 January 2005 |
| York City Knights three times
came from behind before running out comfortable winners over a young
Leeds Rhinos side at Bootham Crescent. Both sides named a squad of 22 with every player featuring at some time during
the game. The Rhinos named several
players with first team experience in the starting line up with the
free scoring Marcus Bai on the wing, Willie Poching at loose forward
and both Wayne McDonald and Nick Scruton at prop forward, whilst they
also gave run outs to several of the younger members of their
squad. |
 |
| Chris Levy prepares to chip over the Rhinos defence |
| The
Knights on the other hand named five
new players in the starting line up with Dan Potter at centre, Peter
Fox at wing, Paul Thorman and Chris Levy at half back and Lee Paterson
at loose forward and six other new faces at substitute. The Rhinos started the brighter with Nick Scruton opening the scoring after just four minutes. Liam Botham converted to extend the lead to six points but the Knights soon hit back with Yusuf Sozi barging over by the posts in typical style. Paul Thorman made no mistake with the kick. |
 |
| David Bates slips the ball out to Chris Levy |
| The
Rhinos soon regained the lead with the
lively Lee Smith latching onto Willie Poching's pass to score behind
the posts. Botham again converted to restore the six point lead. The Knights hit back just before the half hour mark with a debut try from David Bates. Thorman's kick came back off a post but he soon made amends with a penalty moments later which restored parity once more. |
 |
| Mick Ramsden looks for
a way past Nick Scruton |
| Just
as the Knights must have felt that
they would go in level at the break, substitute Jordan Tansey was quick
to react to a ball that came back off Darren Callaghan to score. Smith
added the extras to take the sides in at 12-18 at half time. The second half was just six minutes old when the Knights struck back. A quick passing move down the right saw Mark Cain feed Peter Fox to dart in at the corner. Moments later the Knights took the lead for the first time in the game as Darren Callaghan crossed in the opposite corner. Although Thorman couldn't add the kick to Fox's try, his sweetly struck effort to Callaghan's sailed between the posts. |
 |
| Yusuf Sozi drives
forward in typical style as Wayne McDonald hangs on |
| The
Rhinos continued to look dangerous on
the break but the Knights were clearly gaining the upper hand. Fox
grabbed his second to open up daylight between the two sides before
another fine flowing move ended with the winger going in at the same
corner for his debut hat-trick. Chris Ross converted the latter before
grabbing a try himself, which he duly converted. |
 |
| Dan Potter looks to get
the ball away despite being held by Willie Poching |