Warriors downed by Knights

• Match Report as Wigan Warriors Women defeated by York City Knights Ladies.
• The Warriors were held to nil by a determined York side at Robin Park Arena on Sunday afternoon.
• FT | Wigan Warriors 0-46 York City Knights.

The Warriors were held to nil by a relentless York side as Cerys Jones made her debut in Cherry & White.

Report

Wigan had the first set and they saw it out into the York half but the visitors went over for an early score as they ran it to the left wing to see Emma Kershaw go in at the corner. The conversion attempt from out wide was short from Stanley as York led 4-0.

In response the kick off from Wilson was allowed to bounce before running dead to force a goal line drop out and get Wigan back on the attack from 30m out. The Warriors ran it right but strong defence from York saw them dumped into touch and back defending.

Shortly afterwards York were threatening again as a break down the centre got them deep into Wigan territory. The ball came out to Hollie Dodd who made a dart for the line but a great tackle saw her stopped short and knocking the ball on in the process.

Wigan were agonisingly close to the equaliser in the 14th minute as Molly Jones broke down the left wing, but was stopped in her tracks by Stanley just meters short. Wigan tried to run it right in the resulting play but a knock on saw them on the back foot.

York extended their lead in the 17th minute as an overlap on the right edge allowed Tamzin Renouf to collect and cut inside to go over. Stanley sliced the conversion attempt as it went well wide of the uprights, but York had the 8-0 advantage on the 20 minute mark.

The visitors made it 12-0 as Grace Field had eyes for the line but strong one-on-one defence from Wilson denied her the chance to go over. The follow up though saw Emma Kershaw over for her second, Stanley failed to convert for a third time.

York came out for the second half firing as they scored two more tries in the first 10 minutes after the restart. The first came after the ball was fired out to the right wing for Georgia Taylor to score before Hollie Dodd crashed over a few minutes later, with Stanley converting the effort to make it 22-0.

The lead was extended on 52 minutes as Hollie Dodd made the break, racing away to send Sinead Peach in on an inside ball to touch down close to the sticks. Stanley added a second conversion and made it 28-0.

Savannah Andrade added York’s seventh score, as she broke the line to race undeterred and score under the sticks. Stanley made it a third consecutive conversion as the score was out to 34-0. Stanley then added a converted try of her own to make it 40-0.

Emma Kershaw completed her hat-trick in the 70th minute as an overlap on the left edge saw her cross with ease. The touchline conversion from Stanley it the posts but went through the uprights as York made it 46-0.

Gallery:

Wigan Warriors: Georgia Wilson, Molly Jones, Anna Davies, Kaitlin Hilton, Taylor White, Rebecca Greenfield, Carys Marsh, Freya Hellin, Emma Dwyer, Holly Speakman, Mary Coleman, Georgia Lake, Bethany Hayes.

Interchange: Abbie Singleton, Jade Gregory-Haselden, Jodie Morris, Cerys Jones.

York City Knights: Tara Jane Stanley, Bettie Lambert, Tamzin Renouf, Emma Kershaw, Ashleigh Hyde, Georgie Hetherington, Olivia Gale, Olivia Wood, Sinead Peach, Matilda Butler, Hollie Dodd, Savannah Andrade, Jasmine Bell.

Interchange: Katie Langan, Georgia Taylor, Grace Field, Alisha Clayton.

Tries: Kershaw (2′, 27′, 70′), Renouf (17′), Taylor (43′), Dodd (49′), Peach (52′), Andrade (56′), Stanley (61′)

Goals: Stanley 5/9