Defending honour

11:54am Saturday 9th August 2008

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YORK City Knights’ recent scoring feats have set something of a new record at Huntington Stadium – but player-boss Paul March is instead happier with his side’s defensive efforts.

The rejuvenated Knights have scored a whopping 224 points over the last four matches, ahead of tomorrow’s trip to bottom club Hunslet, making an average of 56 per game.

It is the highest aggregate over four games of any period in the Knights’ history, eclipsing the 214 points scored by Richard Agar’s 2004 entertainers (48-12 v Swinton, 64-4 v Dewsbury, 58-6 v Skolars, 44-24 v Workington) in August/September, and the 208 scored by Mick Cook’s 2005 title winners (32-28 v Oldham, 42-31 v Keighley, 60-10 v Sheffield, 74-12 v Dewsbury) in April.

However, March has always reckoned scoring points came naturally to his team, and he said the way they have improved their defending – having conceded 86 points in two games before this run, including a poor 46-34 loss at struggling London Skolars – was of greater satisfaction.

March said: “You don’t expect to score 50 points per game – it’s a competitive division we’re in and everybody is beating everybody else. If you’re scoring more than 50 points per game you’re doing something right. But a lot of it is on the back of that defence where we’ve come over some mountains.

“After that Skolars performance and the Gateshead performance we’ve turned things round and the lads are now enjoying defending. People are seeing the Knights get off the line, make the tackles and enjoy working for each other. That’s a massive positive for me.

“Scoring points is rugby league – everybody does that. But the defence side of things is massive. Before this run, we were a bit lax in that department.

“To win games, you have to defend your line. Our defending in these games – that has pleased me more.”

Such fine defence was displayed last weekend, despite the 24 points conceded. Most of those tries came on the back of penalties – something the Knights have tried to erase from their game. But, that said, Oldham could have got closer to victory but for some big defensive efforts – one of which was a possible game-breaker with the scores at 34-24 to York, with the Roughyeds fighting back.

Full-back Danny Ratcliffe covered across brilliantly to tackle rampaging winger Daryl Cardiss when a try looked certain, and when Oldham centre Mick Nanyn picked up the offload with the line in sight, York second-row Mark Applegarth charged in from nowhere to crash the big man, the ball, and anything else in the vicinity, into touch.

March said: “There were a few half-breaks (by Oldham) and the lads tracked back. Danny Ratcliffe’s cover tackle on Daryl Cardiss is one that sticks out in my mind. All the lads are willing to put their bodies on the line.

“The momentum had changed in that second half on the back of some ill-discipline and it was hard to get it back. If they had scored again at that point it might have been hard to stop them winning but that tackle stopped them, the momentum came back and Danny went up the other end to score.

“We gave them a bit too much field position and we had to defend for long periods but I believe we stood up. Some of the spectators might have been a bit nervous but the lads had it all under control and we came out on top.”

March added of that shock win over the title-chasing Lancastrians, which bolsters confidence ahead of the play-offs: “I was very pleased with the performance.

“These last few weeks have taken a long time coming. I believed we had the team to do this when we first started. We’re now showing our true class.”

ON the subject of point-scoring, Oldham’s Mick Nanyn is the runaway leading goal-scorer in National League Two – but even his average cannot compare with Adam Mitchell’s astounding start to his Knights career.

The former Widnes centre notched four goals out of four attempts (has anyone ever seen him miss?) in Oldham’s defeat at Huntington Stadium on Sunday to take his points tally to 340 this term. That includes 19 tries and a whopping 132 goals, all in just 29 appearances.

He might have received stick from some Knights fans on Sunday, but his record remains quite remarkable, equating to just under 12 points per match, and four-and-a-half goals per match.

Mitchell, though, has notched 72 points and 34 goals in his four York appearances to date – making an average of 18 points and eight-and-a-half goals per match.

Obviously, that kind of run cannot continue but, if it did, and Mitchell had played the same amount of games as Nanyn has, then the former Keighley stand-off would be up to a mammoth 522 points and 246 goals this term.

Danny Brough’s York RL record of 2004 stands at 412 points and 178 goals, from 36 appearances – which equates to a meagre 11.4 points and 4.9 goals per game.

How crucial could former Knights captain Dan Potter’s late try last week prove to be when it comes to the NL2 play-offs.

Potter’s last-minute effort saw Keighley pip Doncaster 34-31 to remain four points clear of York in the race for fourth place.

Given that two teams now go up automatically, whoever finishes third and fourth will have that second bite of the cherry in the play-offs, and that result sees Keighley remain on course to join Oldham in the qualifying semi-final.

Furthermore, Donny beat Oldham in midweek to leapfrog York into fifth place and keep their own hopes high – further hindering the Knights’ chances of finishing in the top four.

As the table stands, York would host in-form Rochdale in the first play-off – the same team they entertain on the last day of the regular season.

Danny the man

DANNY Ratcliffe moved into double figures on the Press/K Walker & Co Player of the Year leaderboard following his man-of-the-match exploits (3pts) against Oldham.

Ratcliffe scored two tries and also pulled off the tackle of the match – shortly before his match-sealing touchdown – to ultimately crush an Oldham fightback that was dangerously gathering steam.

Those efforts capped a fine all-round display – and judging by the look on his face when he booted the ball into the Pop Stand after the final hooter, he knew he’d had a blinder.

In-form hooker Paul Hughes (2pts) was the sponsors’ player of the match and he also moves up our leaderboard, while any one of the pack could have picked up points, not least Castleford loanee Nathan Massey, who had a storming debut.

However, the final point goes to Tom Haberecht, who provided two of the best moments of the match – his round-the-corner pass to send Steve Lewis away and start the wonderful move for John Oakes’ try, and his massive hit on Said Tamghart, a collision which shook the ground.

Press/K Walker & Co Player of the Year standings: Mapals 18pts, P March 17, Buckley 16, Spicer 14, Ekis 14, D March 11, Divorty 10, Ratcliffe 10, Applegarth 9, Hughes 9, Hodgson 9, Oakes 7, Lewis 7, Esders 6, Grimshaw 6, Sullivan 3, Rhodes 3, Grice 3, Greenwood 1, Haberecht 1.