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Widnes Vikings 30-40 York Knights - Match Report


A second-half blitz saw York Knights come from behind to secure a thrilling 40-30 victory away to Widnes Vikings in the Betfred Championship.


York trailed 20-12 at half-time after Sam Wilde, Ollie Brookes and Owen Farnworth tries for Widnes, with Jesse Dee and Taylor Pemberton providing the visitors' only response.


But a streak of five tries in the space of less than 15 minutes - scored by Oli Field (two), Oli Pratt, AJ Towse and Conor Fitzsimmons - saw the Knights turn the fixture on its head.


The Vikings managed two consolation tries through Joe Edge and Kieran Dixon but it was too little too late and could not prevent York sealing a fourth win from their last five league outings, cutting the gap to the Betfred Championship Play-Offs to just four points in the process.


York began as the better side, taking the lead inside just seven minutes when Jesse Dee finished off a second-phase play to the right after Towse kept alive an Ata Hingano chip down the left flank.


Liam Harris added the conversion, his first of six goals from seven attempts.


Widnes hit back through Wilde, who burst through from a Joe Lyons short ball, and Brookes, who crossed from a right-flank overlap.


Kieran Dixon added a penalty goal to his two previous conversions on the half-hour for a 14-6 lead, adding to York's woes following the loss of Hingano to an ankle injury.


Debutant Pemberton struck back with a dummy-half scoot from the bench but Farnworth reasserted the two-score lead on the stroke of half-time by crashing under the sticks, with Dixon converting.


York were a different proposition after the break though. Pratt began the scoring spree as the Knights shifted play right following a four-man tackle on Danny Kirmond.


Field then finished off a two-on-one after Dee's break past Shane Grady from halfway.


Stand-in half-back Dee then provided a stunning long-range cut-out pass to give Towse a walk-in before Fitzsimmons dived upon a well-placed Harris grubber.


The five-try salvo culminated in Field capitalising on Pratt's marvellous offload after the centre cut inside from the right edge.


Having trailed 20-12 at half-time, York now held a 40-20 lead with a quarter of an hour left.


To their credit, Widnes managed two late tries, Edge meeting another neat Lyons short ball before Dixon cut through some tired Knights defence in the final minute, with Tom Gilmore converting the latter.


York: Brown, Bass, Dee, Clarkson, Towse, Hingano, Harris, Santi, Jubb, Fitzsimmons, Field, Kirmond, Thompson


Subs (all used): Michael, Pratt, Pemberton, Warren


Tries: Dee (7’), Pemberton (33’), Pratt (50‘), Field (53', 64’), Towse (56’), Fitzsimmons (61’)


Goals: Harris (6/7)


Widnes: Edge, Dixon, Roberts, Fleming, Brookes, Lyons, Gilmore, Field, Fozard, Lawton, Wilde, Grady, Brown


Subs (all used): Forber, Davies, Farnworth, Hatton


Tries: Wilde (14’), Brookes (22’), Farnworth (39‘), Edge (70’), Dixon (80’)


Goals: Dixon (4/7) Gilmore (1/1)


Geoff Pryce Player of the Match in partnership with Isaac Poad Beer: Liam Harris


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