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Yet another win for Mark Applegarth’s side sees York stay at the top of the Betfred Championship, with two points between them and second-placed Bradford Bulls.
A fast start from the Knights saw them lead 12 minutes in, as Ben Jones-Bishop continued his impressive form when squeezing his way through the Oldham defence.
Will Dagger was on kicking duty in Liam Harris’ absence, and whilst he was unable to add the extras from Jones-Bishop’s try, he made no mistake shortly after when Kieran Hudson capitalised on an Oldham error.
The Knights’ two try advantage was soon cut down as Morgan Smith pounced on a loose ball after York were unable to retain possession from a grubber, but they were spared as Kieran Dixon could not add the extras.
Six minutes into the second-half, Oldham drew level as George Hirst exploited a gap in the Knights defence, with Dixon converting on this occasion.
A Dagger goal saw York edge back in front, but with an hour on the clock, disaster appeared to strike as the Knights’ once lead shattered, with Oldham leading for the first time in the contest.
Dixon’s pace proved handy when scoring the try, which he was then able to convert from the touchline to make it 16-12 to the visitors.
It needed a heroic response from the Knights to keep their winning run going, and as they have so often this season, Applegarth’s side rose to the occasion in the final ten minutes.
Jesse Dee was on the scoresheet when crashing over the line and through an Oldham gap, before Paul McShane converted from to take the score to 18-16.
As the crowd began to rise and help the Knights over the line, Oli Field finished the match off when latching onto an Oldham error, with McShane’s second conversion putting the game beyond doubt.
What makes the performance all the more impressive is the Knights’ lack of captain, as Liam Harris missed out through an LCL injury sustained at Halifax Panthers nine days ago.
Sam Cook was also absent through a PCL injury, whilst Ata Hingano made his welcome return to the side, alongside Taylor Pemberton.
There was also a start for Joe Brown after his recent place as the 18th man for the Knights, a move which proved fruitful from Applegarth.
Whilst the pre-match talk was on the Knights’ injury worries, the same feeling quickly flooded into the Oldham camp when play was stopped just one minute in with Matty Wildie leaving the field with a HIA.
York would go on to put some pressure on the visiting back line early on but couldn’t find a way through, with both sides being penalised for errors in the opening ten minutes.
Dee almost found a way through on the last but couldn’t break the Oldham line, before the Knights were rewarded for their efforts as Jones-Bishop rounded off a well-worked move on the wing to score the opening try of the day. Dagger, on kicking duties on the afternoon, failed to convert.
York were forced into some defending as Oldham received possession deep in the Knights territory, but the Knights were able to survive and launch some attacks of their own.
They added to the scoreline through one of those attacks, as interchange Hudson evaded attempted Oldham tackles to score an impressive try and double the advantage. Dagger converted on this occasion.
Oldham were able to get back into the match shortly before half-time, as Hirst’s grubber on the last caused problems for the Knights defence, allowing Smith the chance to ground the try and gain a needed foothold back into the contest.
Dixon could not add the extras for the Roughyeds, and despite a last-gasp effort from Josh Drinkwater, the visitors could not come close to drawing level before half-time.
They did start the second-half the stronger of the two teams, putting the Knights into immediate pressure that forced a knock on and a goal line drop out in the early stages.
Oldham would soon be rewarded for that pressure, as Hirst powered through the York defence to bring the score to 10-8 – and then level through a Dixon conversion.
Dagger had the opportunity to go for the two after a high tackle, but elected to instead try and start a set, but had a similar chance five minutes later and made no mistake to put York back in front at the LNER Community Stadium.
The game was soon in Oldham’s control however, as a move involving Drinkwater, Phoenix Laulu-Togaga’e and Dixon saw the latter use his pace to finish a set on the wing, putting the Roughyeds in front for the first time. Dixon was able to add the extras from his own try.
The ball eventually fell to Dee, who capitalised on the pressure to draw the Knights level again.
McShane’s conversion gifted the lead back into York’s favour, but Applegarth’s side were eager to add to the score line if they were to see out a battling victory.
It fell their way when Field received possession after a scrum and forced his way over the Oldham try line, again converted by McShane, to mark a memorable victory for the Knights.
YORK KNIGHTS: Jones-Bishop, Brown, Buchanan, Field, Galeano, Dagger, Mata’afa, Martin, McShane, Fitzsimmons, Dee, Bailey, Thompson
INTERCHANGES: Santi, Pemberton, Hudson, Clark
TRIES: Jones-Bishop (12), Hudson (23), Dee (70), Field (76)
GOALS: Dagger 2/3, McShane 2/2
OLDHAM: Laulu-Togaga’e, Agoro, O’Keefe, Davies, Dixon, Smith, Drinkwater, Chapelhow, Wildie, Dudson, Taylor, Hirst, Milner
INTERCHANGES: Pelissier, Farnworth, Moran, Baxter
TRIES: Smith (36), Hirst (46), Dixon (59)
GOALS: Dixon 2/3
POINTS SEQUENCE: 4-0, 8-0, 10-0, 10-4, 10-10, 12-10, 12-14, 12-16, 16-16, 18-16, 22-16, 24-16
HALF TIME: 10-4
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