Featherstone Rovers 4-5 York Knights: AB Sundecks 1895 Cup Final Match Report
- sharonshortle
- Jun 8
- 3 min read
York Knights beat Featherstone Rovers 5-4 to win the AB Sundecks 1895 Cup, and lift silverware at Wembley for the first time in their history.
It took a drop goal from player of the match, Liam Harris to win it in golden point extra time, after the scores were level at 4-4 after 80 minutes.
With no tries scored, it was two penalties each that meant it was tied at the end of normal time.
Both sides missed drop goal attempts in the extra period, before Harris stepped up to clinch it for the Knights.
A tight first half meant chances to score were few and far between for both teams, and it was the first of the penalty goals which put Featherstone ahead early. Ben Reynolds stepped up to get the scoreboard rolling after just 11 minutes after the Knights were caught offside.
With the conditions becoming increasingly wet, defences dominated. Some great tackling efforts meant neither side were able to break down the other, while momentum swung one way and the next.
With half an hour gone, the Knights levelled the game, with Harris stepping up for his first points of the evening. Then with two minutes to go to the break, a high tackle of Jordan Thompson gave Harris another chance in a kickable position, to give Mark Applegarth’s side a 4-2 lead.
Rovers had the better of the play at the start of the second half, but the Knights defence was relentless in its efforts.
At the other end, any pressure the Knights built was also absorbed by Featherstone. Keeping hold of possessions became increasingly important with both teams happy to punish the other’s errors by kicking for goal.
The best chances of tries went to Rovers. First, they had a chance ruled out with a call of obstruction in the build up, before Toa Mata’afa pulled off a try saving tackle as they broke through down the left.
With an hour gone, the scores were tied again. Reynolds got another two points after Ukuma Ta’ai was deemed to have made a late challenge.
It set up a tense end to the game. Oli Field went close to getting a try for the Knights, while Featherstone took the wrong option and missed a chance for a one pointer to put them ahead. Harris’ first attempt from around 40 metres out also fell short before the end of normal time.
Tensions rose further as golden point extra time kicked off, with the Knights getting the first set. Harris had another go from 40 metres out, only again for his attempt to fall short.
Reynolds’ chance to win it for Rovers with a drop goal from 40 metres out also fell short, before the Knights took their opportunity.
They moved upfield with some direct play, to set Harris up again. This time he was nearer to the sticks and he struck the ball beautifully to see it go straight between the uprights and trigger scenes of celebration on the pitch and amongst the travelling support in the stands.
Featherstone: Aekins, Olpherts, Hardcastle, Gale, Wynne, Reynolds, Hampshire, Springer, Jubb, Beckett, Day, Webb, Addy
Subs: Jones, Williams, Vuniyayawa, Arnold
18th Player: Turner
Tries: None
Goals: Reynolds (2/2)
York: Mata’afa, Brown, Buchanan, Field, Galeano, Hingano, Harris, Martin, McShane, Ta’ai, Dee, Bailey, Thompson
Subs: Cook, Santi, Gannon, Hudson
18th Player: Pemberton
Tries: None
Goals: Harris (2/2)
Drop goal: Harris
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