Sheffield Eagles 10-36 York Knights: Match Report

York Knights’ winning run in the Betfred Championship continued with a 36-10 win at Sheffield Eagles at the Steel City Stadium.

The Knights scored six tries, including a brace each for Ben Jones-Bishop and Ata Hingano as they eased to their eight consecutive league win.

Sheffield drew level with half an hour gone, when Reiss Butterworth scored after Connor Bailey had given York an early lead.

However, Mark Applegarth’s side took control of the game to earn another two competition points.

Bailey got the scoring started from a pass from Liam Harris 20 metres out. With no defence able to get a hand on him, Bailey went through to score beneath the posts for a try converted by Harris.

Both sides then had opportunities as the game settled. Jordan Thompson went close for York, only to lose the ball as he tried to stretch out over the line, before Eagles forward, Blake Broadbent was held up by the Knights defence.

As the Knights tried to build pressure, Sheffield were forced to work hard in defence. Eventually though, fast work from the play the ball brought a try for Sheffield when Butterworth found a way over. Josh Hodson converted to level the score.

After a scrappy spell, York retook the lead. Hingano showed his pace before offloading to Joe Law, who slipped a pass back to Hingano for another try converted by Harris.

Just ahead of the break, Hingano scored his second try in the space of two minutes. After releasing Scott Galeano down the wing, Hingano was in support took to touch down. Again, Harris was accurate with the conversion to take an 18-6 lead into the break.

Early second half chances for the Knights were nullified by the Eagles defence, but they could only keep their try line unscathed for so long. Ben Jones-Bishop got on the end of a Kieran Buchanan pass for an easy touch down and Harris added the goal from the touch line.

Law then went close before Jones-Bishop scored again on the back of some good handling. Harris’ conversion brought up the 30 point mark.

The Knights stretched their lead from a penalty after Paul McShane was obstructed when chasing his own kick through the Eagles defence. Harris stepped up and added the extra two points for his sixth successful kick of the afternoon.

With less than 5 minutes to go, Sheffield built pressure which allowed Billy Walkley to cross the try line for a consolation.

However, that was cancelled out just before the final hooter sounded when Toa Mata’afa got York’s sixth try to remain in second place in the table.

Sheffield: Walker, Millar, Welham, Hodson, Walkley, Johnson, Windley, Battye, Butterworth, Broadbent, Farrell, Foster, Gwaze

Subs (all used): Peachy, Roberts, Reilly, Billington

18th Player (used): Bower

Tries: Butterworth (31), Walkley (76)

Goals: Hodson (1/1), Bower (0/1)

York: Mata’afa, Jones-Bishop, Buchanan, Law, Galeano, Hingano, Harris, Martin, Cook, Fitzsimmons, Field, Bailey, Thompson

Subs (all used): McShane, Reynolds, Hudson, Clark

18th Player: Brown

Tries: Bailey (9), Hingano (35, 37), Jones-Bishop (53,60), Mata’afa (80)

Goals: Harris (6/7)

#RiseUp | #WeAreYork | #Together