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York Knights season came to an end with a 22-13 defeat by Wakefield Trinity in the Betfred Championship play-off semi final at the DIY Kitchens Stadium.
After a converted try apiece in the first half, only a Liam Harris drop goal separated the sides at the break.
That set up a tight second period in which both teams continued to test the other.
However, with Trinity scoring three tries to the Knights one in the second half, it was the league leaders who went through to the Grand Final.
The opening stages of the game saw Wakefield enjoy the better of the possession, and they went close through Iain Thornley, who ended up knocking on close to the line.
After nine minutes, Max Jowitt opened the scoring after strong work by Jermaine McGillvary, who shrugged off an attempted tackle by Tom LIneham. Jowitt added the goal from in front of the posts.
Oli Field hit back for the Knights, after Ata Hingano put Nikau Williams through a gap to set them up in Wakefield’s 20 metre area their first real attack in Trinity territory. Will Dagger’s conversion levelled the score.
Conceding saw Wakefield go up a gear. After forcing a drop out, Jowitt looked to have gone in for his second try, only for him to knock on as he scrambled over the line. Mason Lino also put Liam Hood through with the line begging, but the final pass was deemed to be forward.
Wakefield continued to put pressure on the York line, but handling errors meant chances went begging. York worked hard in defence in response, although conceded too many penalties.
With field position in the Trinity 20 proving hard to come by, captain Harris made sure the Knights benefited from it just before the break by slotting over a drop goal to give them a one point lead going in to the changing rooms.
After an opening spell of end to end rugby in the second half, it was York’s defence that cracked first. Matty Ashurst burst through a tackle, and Luke Gale was up in support to go in for the try. Jowitt again added the goal.
Back to back sets on the Wakefield line followed for the Knights, twice forcing Wakefield to drop out. However, that pressure broke as Jack Martin knocked on as he tried to force his way through defenders to touch down.
A moment of magic then followed from Jordan Thompson. He burst through the line from 40 metres out, and fed Hingano to score. Dagger’s conversion put York back in front with 19 minutes remaining.
Dagger then went close for the Knights, only for York to cough up the ball with an error in the next play. With that possession, Wakefield went up the other end of the field and scored through Derrell Olpherts to regain the lead.
The closing stages of the second half continued to be an end to end affair, with both sides still testing each other.
When Lineham couldn’t take a high ball, Wakefield took advantage, with Thornley reaching a Liam Hood grubber kick to seal the win and take them through to the Championship Grand Final.
Wakefield: Jowitt, McGillvary, Thornley, Pratt, Olpherts, Gale, Lino, Bowden, Hood, Rodwell, Ashurst, Griffin, Pitts
Subs: Atoni, Uele, Vagana, Doyle
18th Player: Kay
Tries: Jowitt (9), Gale (49), Olpherts (66), Thornley (75)
Goals: Jowitt (3/4)
York: Dagger, Brown, Field, Williams, Lineham, Hingano, Harris, Thompson, Jubb, Ta’ai, Dee, Bailey, Cunningham
Subs: Santi, Michael, Daley, Martin, Cook
18th Player: Cook
Tries: Field (14), Hingano (61)
Goals: Dagger (2/2)
Drop Goal: Harris (40)
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