Oldham 41 York City Knights 32: Knights coach Woods left to rue Roughyeds defeat but handed second chance of success with Blackpool visit

For long periods of the game they looked the better side and the more likely to go straight through to the Grand Final at the Halliwell Jones Stadium in Warrington on September 26.

Indeed, had they taken three clear-cut chances when playing up the slope early in the second half they would probably have done enough to avoid another battle next week, this time at the Huntington Stadium, against Blackpool Panthers for the right to meet Oldham in what should be a cracking final.

"I think we deserved more than we got from this game," said Knights coach Dave Woods, "but the boys know where they went wrong. Full credit to Oldham. We will just have to beat them in the big one now."

York were given first use of the slope and they made it count by scoring three first-half tries to Oldham's two to lead 18-16 at the break.

Woods gambled on giving Ian Bell his first senior game of the season at centre and he and Ryan Esders terrorised the Roughyeds defence.

Greg McNally eased Oldham in front with a penalty, but there was a promise of more to come when Chris Thorman put Bell over for the opening try which Lee Waterman improved.

A second penalty by McNally cut the York lead before the home side took the lead with a Joe Chandler try, improved by McNally.

Oldham had the lead for only seven minutes. The York forwards were doing a terrific job in pushing down the slope, providing Thorman with the time and space to provide timely distribution on which Esders capitalised twice. Waterman converted both.

Between the two Esders touchdowns, Oldham gabbed a somewhat fortuitous try by Danny Whitmore but the Knights were full value for their 18-16 interval lead.

The Knights extended their lead when Waterman crashed over after Oldham had failed to detonate a Thorman bomb.

It was at this stage, with York 22-16 ahead, that the visitors failed to take their chances. Esders hung on when Bell was unmarked outside him; Danny Wilson failed to ground a Thorman grubber; and Esders and Bell between could not control Wilson's inside chip with not a defender in sight.

Oldham quickly took advantage with a try by Wayne Kerr which McNally improved to level things up at 22-22.

McNally, on loan from Huddersfield, took matters into his own hands, first dropping a goal and then producing a spot of magic with a kick and regather which enabled him to send in Valu Bentley.

York were reeling and it looked all over when Chandler went in for his second try and McNally's goal put Oldham 35-22 in front.

The Knights had other ideas, however. Thorman dummied through a tiring defence for a try which Waterman goaled and then, with two minutes left on the clock, Waterman himself crashed over.

With only three points separating the sides it was still either side's game, but Jack Stearman fumbled the restart kick and this gave Oldham the field position which enabled them to wrap things up with a try by Chris Clarke, goaled by McNally as the hooter sounded.

Oldham: O'Connor; Onyango, St Hilaire, Fogerty, Gillam; N Roden, McNally; Kerr, M Roden, Clarke, Chandler, Heaton, Bentley. Substitutes: Ellison, Boults, Whitmore, Ashe.

York: Ratcliffe; Reittie, Bell, Waterman, Wilson; Thorman, Stamp; Freer, Lee, Benson, Ross, Esders, Hardbottle. Substitutes: Lewis, Dinsdale, Haynes, Stearman.

Referee: R Laughton (Barnsley).