York City Knights 34 London Skolars 12: Knights edge out depleted Skolars

York clinched the final place in Pool Two of the Northern Rail Cup to advance to the knockout stages as they ran in six tries to secure a comfortable victory

With vastly changed sides from the weekend as York employed the squad rotation system and Skolars affected by player unavailability as a result of work commitments, it was three first-half tries that set the Knights on their way.

A drive from York prop Jon Fallon was halted on the try line but from the play-the-ball Jonathan Schofield dropped the shoulder to wrong foot the defence and score. Skolars responded with lively play in attack but without the necessary cutting edge until constant pressure on their defence saw Australian Casey Bromilow dive low to score after excellent work from substitute Carl Barrow.

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Three minutes before the break York went further ahead as Barrow created panic in the Skolars defence for Mark Applegarth to weave through and touch down.

London secured early territory on the resumption but were hit on the break as Schofield's delightful pass saw Matty Duckworth mark his debut with a try. With Barrow sin-binned for a late tackle, Skolars second-rower Rob Montgomerie took advantage of the extra man to finally score under the posts.

Bromilow added his second try with a delightful 40-metre break and another length-of-the-field York movement was finished in style by Lee Waterman to add to his five conversions.

Stephen Ball scored a consolation try for Skolars in the dying minutes.

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York City Knights: Waterman, Stancliffe, Lewis, Duckworth, Lineham, Bromilow, Scholfield, Benson, McLocklan, Fallon, Ross, Peacock, Williams Substitutes: Applegarth, Hardbottle, Barrow, Falkingham

London Skolars: Adebisi, Junor, May. Bloom, Obuchowski, Isles. Boston, D Williams, Welsh, T Wiliams, McLoughlin, Montgomerie, Ball Substitutes: Small, Quinn, Carter, Thomas.

Referee: T Roby (RFL).

Fixture

The Co-operative Championship: Batley Halifax (7.30).