York Knights 16-66 Leeds Rhinos: Match Report

York Knights were comprehensively beaten by Betfred Super League leaders, Leeds Rhinos by 66-16 at the LNER Community Stadium.

Leeds scored six tries with no reply in the first half, and with a spell of three tries in six minutes during that period, the game as a contest was effectively over.

The Rhinos scored six more tries after the break in what was a better contested second half while York replied with three of their own.

However the deficit was always going to be too big for them to overcome against a side heading into the play offs in good form.

The scoring opened early, when Riley Lumb scored the first of his hat-trick after Ryan Hall broke down a York attack with an interception in his own half. Jake Connor added the first of his four conversions.

Lumb then got on the scoreboard again, taking a high kick from Connor to trigger the first of three Leeds tries in six minutes.

Lumb had a hand in the next, breaking down the wing to put Chris Hankinson in, before Kallum Watkins leapt highest to collect a Lachie Miller kick to dot down. Leeds were scoring at more than a point a minute.

A huge 40/20 kick from Connor led to Mikolaj Oledzki forcing his way over beneath the posts and before the break, Miller followed up a Cameron Smith break after the defence was split down the middle. Hankinson was now on kicking duties and converted both.

The Knights looked to have scored before half time, before Sam Wood’s effort was chalked off by the video referee, so they went into the dressing rooms still looking for points.

The second half started for Leeds as the first had ended with more points. Matt Lodge forced his way over on debut before York finally scored.

This time, Wood wasn’t to be denied as he collected a high Paul McShane kick. Bennison converted.

Three more Leeds tries then followed, through Ryan Hall, Riley Lumb for his third, and Brodie Croft before York had their best spell.

Back to back tries from Jon Bennison and then David Nofoaluma, who took a well weighted Cody Hunter kick, helped close the deficit a little. It could have been more had Jack Martin been able to get a hand to a kick through from Ata Hingano.

As it was, the Rhinos scored again, first when Ash Handley followed up his own chip, before Hankinson scored his second of the game to end what had been a tough afternoon for York.

York: Mata’afa, Bennison, Galeano, Wood, Nofoaluma, Hunter, McShane, Martin, Inman, Va’a, Dee, Field, Hingano

Subs: (all used) Balmforth, Sangare, Thompson, Doyle

18th Player: Foster

Tries: Wood (45), Bennison (69), Nofoaluma (75)

Goals: Bennison (2/3)

Leeds: Miller, Hall, Newman, Handley, Croft, Connor, Oledski, O’Connor, Jenkins, Watkins, Hankinson, Cassell

Subs: Smith, Lodge, Lloyd, Holroyd

18th Player: McCormack

Tries: Lumb (7, 12, 59), Hankinson (15, 80), Watkins (18), Oledzki (25), Miller (28), Lodge (42), Hall (57), Croft (63), Handley (78)

Goals: Connor (4/4), Hankinson (4/8)

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