In terms of our halfbacks I've said it before. Chisolm and Keyes don't play well together, there's a marked difference in how we organise when either is off the field.

Both good players in their own rights but they don't seem to have gelled at all. Just my two penneth.

The slow starts are a concern as has been noticed, but is anyone else also concerned about our lack of “big game mentality”? In recent years we seem to have gone to pot in almost every single game that is labelled of some importance. OK, we beat York at the start of the year when both sides were more ring rusty, but when it’s come down to the business end of the season and promotion is practically on a plate, it’s like the players didn’t seem aware of the stakes until half time. It seems this has been a pattern in a few end of year games. We were chasing the game in huge end of the season clashes against Leigh at home in 2015, (almost a carbon copy of yesterday’s game except with the conversion going the wrong way), the MPG vs Wakefield and the less said about Fev in 2016 the better. And no, I don’t count the Championship Shield

The only major game I can remember us winning in the past few years that meant something was Leigh away to get to the Million Pound Game. Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t an “the end is nigh” type post, but it is a concern given that after yesterday, we are slightly less likely to go up automatically. If we have to do it via the playoffs, then that’ll be two big games in a row – we have the squad, sure, but the mentality could be cause for concern. I’d have said I trust Kear to get that right given his record, but yesterday was an all too familiar hint of our recent past.

The lack of a natural leader on the field yesterday showed. Its only when George came on and started shouting at them we looked more cohesive. York wanted it more than us, and despite the build up I never felt it was a massive game; we're still in the driving seat, although neither of us can afford to drop points now admittedly.

That initial 20 minutes was keystone cops bad, but we had them on the ropes at the end, and had the game lasted another 5 minutes (5 minutes that the York players wasted though feigning injury and gamesmanship in doing things) we would have beaten them.

I though Chizzy was better when Keys left, but often it takes a big blow for a team to pull together. Having said that the York try from Chizzys kick to Ethan was really bad game management. Why not go for a grubber through and have another 5? Everyone knows Ethans game and plugging it every 5th on the oppositions 20 is getting stale. I hope we can learn from it.

However, if we had won I could see complacency sneaking in the last few games. At least now after this result, it won't happen. [sizeI hope.[/size

On the issue of big match temperament the side has changed a fair bit since the Leigh game and the Fev fiasco. However we did look taken by surprise by the way York came out of the traps. Maybe we were a bit complacent. The point about us improving when Flanagan came on is a good point. When he came on we started to take control back around the ruck. He also got under the skin of a few in the York side who were having a big say for them up to that point.

On Keyes and Chisholm playing together I’m not sure it’s the combination that’s the issue. Often the pass from dummy half is so off target it forces them to have to re-adjust which then gives the defence time to get in our faces. It was certainly the case yesterday. If the pass off the ground is poor it often causes the whole move to be poor. York made sure they did all they could to make that happen, it was an area where we were out-thought.

The other impact that Keyes coming off caused was it used a substitution up which meant we couldn’t get George on for the last 10 minutes

I wondered why he didn't re-appear, that explains it thanks. It does make me wonder why Bustin came back on when he looked so out of sorts in the heat.

As Bullseye said the team has changed a lot since the Leigh and Fev fiascos but it doesn't seem to matter, new players, new coach, new division but we still don't turn up when it matters. There is nothing surer now than we can't simply rely on getting results but we also have to play to our potential and run in some points.

Not sure I accept this notion about 'failing' in big games. Big games are games against the 'better sides', you don't need to be Einstein to work out that you are more likely to be troubled by the 'better sides' than by lower placed teams. We beat York on their own midden in the first game of the season and we virtually knocked Donny, who IIRC would have taken over as league leaders if they'd won, out of the title race at their place. Wigan and Saints lose more games against the 'better sides' too..

I didn't see any of that and not seen it mentioned on the Knights forum or facebook groups, all the comments I've seen about the Bradford fans are how knowledgable and sporting they were in defeat and how they helped make it a great event. But you get a minority at any club. The 'worst' I experienced was a woman wearing a Bradford shirt who was grinning and laughing at us when Bradford got right back into it, but she promptly disappeared when Mazive scored his 2nd try

Assuming it's the same group I'm thinking of, the majority are effectively a load of young lads who like a beer but can't really handle it all that well. I've seen them arguing amongst themselves and with other fans (both Bradford and opposition) and generally being idiots. They seem to have this superiority complex about them (evidenced by the way they act at Blackpool, like they're the "leaders" and them showing up is an event) and don't like being challenged.
As much as they can be very good at getting the atmosphere, singing and chanting going, a large amount of them are also very very immature. And some of the older people that associate with them seem to drop down to their level instead of bringing the younger ones up to theirs. It's the immaturity and superiority complex that will be the reason they acted like that to the York players and fans. Which is a real shame that York people would go away with that impression, rather than the one they would have if they talked/interacted with most other Bradford fans.

Its the very same ones and yes they are good at whipping up a good atmosphere. However, they can equally stir up quite a negative one.

I'm glad to hear nobody from the Knights saw or heard this as they really are the minority. Most Bradford fans who turned up on Sunday will accept our team didn't really perform in the first half and would appreciate that York flew out of the blocks and built up a very well earned lead. Like I say just a shame the minority cannot handle this and decided to make fools of themselves.

And the Facebook spies will inevitably screenshot all this into the two banter groups.

Facebook spies!?! Pumps, you make EVERYTHING sound exciting!