Nick Wright previews this weekend's clash between York City Knights and Hull FC
Alex Reid looks at whether the once ever-present appearance of English clubs in the later stages of the Champions League is set to become a thing of the past
Craig Dobson looks at QPR's decision to sack Neil Warnock and replace him with Mark Hughes
James Tompkinson reviews an excellent pre-season victory for the York City Knights against Yorkshire rivals Leeds Rhinos
York came back to form last week as they defended their unbeaten home record in BUSA to beat Huddersfield 48-5.
A terrible performance away to Durham the week before - the first time they have failed to score this season - saw York receive their biggest defeat of the season and dent their promotion chances. If York were to have any chance of staying in the title race, they had to return to form against a Huddersfield team that had been resurgent in recent weeks.
Good early pressure from York meant that Huddersfield had less than 10% of the ball in the first 10 minutes, and York showed immediately why their backs have been so dangerous all season. When Huddersfield did receive the ball, they knocked on and from one of the resulting scrums York took full advantage. Scrum-Half Tom Benbow picked up from the base and sped round the back-row, and fine support from Nick Brown sent York 5-0 up within the first three minutes.
Huddersfield kicked off and York sent the ball to the far touch line, where rapid progress ended up with the ball in the Huddersfield 22. A knock-on let Huddersfield off the hook, but a poor kick from the resulting scrum left York with a line-out in a dangerous position. Quick ball to the backs let James Wilson release Tim Walker who could have gone over himself, but unselfish play let fly-half Tim Maitland open his first-team account to put the score at 10-0.
York then went off the boil and gave Huddersfield a chance to come back into the game. Silly mistakes and failure to finish off chances meant that when Huddersfield finally put the phases together they were still in the game. Using their big runners, Huddersfield battered a York defence that was standing strong. Eventually however, York infringed and Huddersfield kicked to the corner. From the resulting line-out, the Huddersfield fly-half found a bouncing ball in his hands and a strong drive bought Huddersfield back into the game at 10-5. This brought York back to life, and simple backs play left Wilson to go through the hole and speed past the full-back to put York 15-5 up.
After half-time, York kept the pressure on that they had begun to build in the final few minutes of the first half, and the second half was one-way traffic. Realistically maybe York should have added a few more tries, but Wilson, Mike Callis, Warwick Van Der Burrows, Benbow and Danny Stacey all added to the York scoreline.
With results going their way in the league, York stand third, with only bottom of the table Bradford to play before Christmas. This is how the top of the table looks:
If York can keep up the form that has seen them this far this season - including keeping their unbeaten home record intact - then a top two finish is not out of the question. With only the top team given a promotion chance however, York cannot afford any slip-ups come 2008, and fitness must be kept up over the festive period. Their first game back is against Durham, followed in the next two weeks by Newcastle and Leeds, which will ultimately decide where York finish come the end of the season. Hopefully the return to fitness of Jack Wakeling, last year's player of the season, will give York the impetus and quick ball they need to win their remaining games.
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