Knights stay in command

The three points kept the Knights at the summit ahead of next week’s eagerly-awaited visit from second-placed Oldham.

One of the stars of the show was Brad Day, who scored a hat-trick to make it five tries in his two appearances since joining York on dual-registration from Castleford.

Winger Ben Dent also took his season’s tally to 13 in 15 outings with a brace, the first of which opened the scoring after only two minutes. Sam Edgerton scored an equalising try for the home team, but it wasn’t long before the Knights took command.

Some great handling saw top-scorer Jack Lee finish superbly either side of Day’s first two tries.

Dent made it 28-4 at the break, with Kriss Brining and James Saltonstall increasing the lead after the interval.

Oxford captain Alex Tompson got his side back on the board with a decent try but James Ford and Ed Smith added to the Knights’ advantage.

Thompson got a second try but Day finished things off at the other end with his third.

Oxford: Edgerton, Parker, Mulkeen, Brooker, Briggs, Rice, Connick, Blaney, Sharratt, Davies, Baird, Hoggins, Thompson. Substitutes: Hayles, Newton, Vickers, Evans.

York City Knights: Haynes, Saltonstall, Ford, Day, Dent, Smith, Reynolds, Roche, Lee, Aldous, Mallinder, Smith, Pickets. Substitutes: Brining, Paterson, Leary, Backhouse.

Referee: D Merrick (Castleford).