Oldham Roughyeds 4-25 York City Knights

Oldham (4) 4
Tries: Fogerty

York (10) 25
Tries: Reittie, Haynes, Thorman, Lewis
Goals: Waterman 2, Thorman 2
Drop Goal: Thorman

York's players celebrate their triumph in front of the press photographers

Oldham suffered play-off heartbreak for the fourth year in a row as York City Knights won 25-4 at the Halliwell Jones to win promotion to the Championship.

Australian Dave Woods proved himself as the man with the Midas touch after earning a third promotion in six years.

Woods took Castleford to Super League in 2005, then got Gateshead up from League Two in 2008.

But he owed much this time to right-hand man Chris Thorman, with one of York's four tries in a nine-point haul.

Player-assistant coach Thorman kicked two goals and a drop goal as Woods completed his hat-trick of promotion victories, just three months after succeeding James Ratcliffe as coach.

It was York's first promotion since going up to National Division One in 2005 - a year on from losing 34-32 to Halifax in that season's corresponding play-off final at Naughton Park.

And, although the Knights came straight back down in 2006, this time under Woods, they will be hopeful of consolidating, based on the quality of the rugby they played to beat Oldham.

Dave Woods succeeded James Ratcliffe as York City Knights coach in June

York finished the league season in third, 13 points adrift of second-placed Oldham.

But they dominated the final in Warrington from start to finish to claim an emphatic victory.

Former Sheffield, London Broncos, Huddersfield and Hull stand-off Thorman was the architect, but Wayne Reittie, James Haynes and Steve Lewis got the Knights' other tries, while Lee Waterman kicked two goals.

After Reittie's opener, Mick Fogerty scored Oldham's solitary points with a 19th-minute try that briefly brought them level at 4-4.

But Haynes ran in try number two for a 10-4 half-time lead, Thorman and Lewis running in further scores as the Knights charged clear after the break.

York's victory enabled captain Jordan Ross to bow out on a high as he prepares for a new life Down Under.

While the Knights will join champions Hunslet in the Championship in 2011, the Roughyeds were condemned to another season in the lower division after suffering a fourth play-off final defeat in as many years.

Knights coach Dave Woods told BBC Radio York:

"It was a tremendous effort from the fellahs.

"They've worked extremely hard over the last few weeks.

"And we knew we had to dig deep today.

"We asked the lads for a big commitment and they gave it to us."

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

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

Referee: Gareth Hewer (Whitehaven).