FEATHERSTONE Rovers saw two precious Betfred Championship points slip away at the LNER Community Stadium in a five tries to two 30-8 defeat by high-flying York Knights.
Rovers, who fell to York in the 1895 Cup final at Wembley, were looking to complete a league double over their hosts who had not lost since their 28-24 defeat at Post Office Road earlier in the season.
Coach Paul Cooke stuck with the starting line-up which saw off Halifax Panthers comfortable at home last time out, making a change to his bench to bring in Sitaleki Akauloa.
When these two sides met at Wembley in poor conditions for running rugby, the defences ruled the roost in a ferociously tight contest with try-scoring chances hard to come by.
This time, York looked likely to be first on the board when Galeano crossed in the left corner, but his effort was chalked off by referee Moore when he was held up by the Rovers defence.
Both sides, trying to play expansive rugby were guilty of handling errors in a high-octane opening ten minutes, most of them unforced.
But York notched the first try with 16 minutes gone, a terrific solo effort from Hingano, who sliced through the Rovers defence from 30 metres out to touch down next to the posts with Harris kicking the easy conversion.
With 20 minutes of the first half gone, Rovers had yet to threaten York’s line until Gale went close in the left corner and Wynne failed to gather Hampshire’s clever chip to the opposite corner.
With Jones on for Jubb, Rovers injected more pace and urgency into their game, but they failed to turn increased pressure into points.
And they were made to pay again for defensive frailties when Buchanan touched down to extend York’s lead with Harris’ conversion stretching the home side’s lead to 12-0 in the 35thminute.
Rovers, however, hit back just before half-time when slick handling along the back line created an opening for Wynne in the right corner with Reynolds unable to add the extras from the touchline.
Rovers needed to up their game in the second half but a cross kick to the right corner from Reynolds failed to find Gale.
Wynne closed the gap with his second unconverted try of the contest in the left corner when Hampshire’s clever pass gave him space to beat the outside edge of the York defence in the ninth minute of the second half.
Wynne was immediately helped off the pitch injured with Jubb coming back on and Jones went out wide in a re-jigged Rovers back line.
Trailing by just four points with 30 minutes to go, the match was back in the melting pot, but York responded with a try from McShane, converted by Harris to go 18-8 ahead with 16 minutes to go.
From there, Rovers had no option but to throw caution to the wind, but York took the game right out of reach six minutes later with a Bailey try converted by Harris to go 24-8 clear.
And York piled on further misery for Rovers with a fifth try from Fitzsimmons, converted by Harris to further punish yetmore poor Rovers defending.
York Knights: Mata’afa, Jones-Bishop, Buchanan, Law, Galleano, Hingano, Harris, Martin, McShane, Fitzsimmons, Field, Bailey, Thompson.
Interchanges: Santi, Cook, Hudson, Clarke.
Featherstone Rovers: Aekins, Wynne, Hardcastle, Glover, Gale, Hampshire, Reynolds, Springer, Jubb, Beckett, Day, Webb, Addy.
Interchanges: Jones, Akauola, Wilde, Moran.
Referee: Kevin Moore.