Women lose out at Knights

• Match Report as Wigan Warriors Women fell to defeat against York City Knights.
• Lauréane Biville and Georgia Wilson scored the Warriors two efforts on Sunday afternoon.
• FT | York City Knights Ladies 33-10 Wigan Warriors Women.

Wigan Warriors Women fell to defeat on Sunday despite a spirited effort against top of the table York City Knights Women.

French International Lauréane Biville opened Wigan’s account, as Georgia Wilson also crossed for a converted effort as Wigan lost at the LNER Community Stadium.

Report

Still without a number of players due to injury, Wigan came up against a York side who were bolstered by the signing of four players from Catalans Dragons.

Wigan started the brighter of the two sides, and nearly capitalised from an early knock-on from Tara Stanley as they got towards the goal line but strong defence from the Knights saw Wigan held up and denied the early chance.

A penalty for York on halfway saw them roll towards the Wigan back line, Sinead Peach went close before Jasmine Bell was held up for the turnover. Wigan didn’t take advantage of the possession though as the ball came back to York for Savannah Andrade to go on a diagonal run and get the opener in the 5th minute. Tara Stanley added the conversion and York were 6-0 up.

A few minutes later and a couple of handling errors from the Knights saw Wigan into York’s half. They tried their luck again to get an equalising score but the referee called for an obstruction and Wigan were denied again.

York doubled their lead in the 17th minute as a grubber kick from Sinead Peach wasn’t dealt with by Wigan and Hollie Dodd was there to collect and score, Stanley was on target with the conversion and it was 12-0. Just a few minutes later and York were in again in identical fashion, a grubber from Peach but this time Stanley was on the end to get the ball down, she couldn’t convert her own effort and York had the 16-0 advantage.

The restart from the try was fumbled by York and Wigan got the penalty and a good chance to get themselves back in it. They took the opportunity as a good attacking play saw Georgia Wilson send Lauréane Biville through a gap to crash over, Wilson couldn’t add the extras but Wigan were back to 16-4.

End-to-end play followed with both teams chasing the score in the heat, but it was Wigan who shortened the York advantage as Georgia Wilson finished off some more great play from the Warriors in the corner, converting her own score to make it 16-10 at the interval.

With Wigan searching for another try to close the gap, the last play kicks just weren’t giving them the edge and York were defending well. The hosts extended their lead in the 49th minute as Emma Kershaw sold a dummy to create a gap and go over, Stanley couldn’t add the extras.

Coming up to the hour, Wigan were trying everything to get past the Knights but strong defence once again from the home side denied the Warriors any opportunity. Eva Hunter carried strong as she continued to get Wigan into good space in York territory but Wigan couldn’t add to their score.

Katie Langan added to York’s lead in the 61st minute, another dummy catching Wigan out and Stanley’s conversion made it 26-10 going into the final quarter of the game, before Daisy Sanderson powered over in the 65th minute, also converted by Stanley to make it 32-10.

Wilson almost doubled her tally going into the final ten minutes but with the try line in sight the ball came free. York had the last say of the game as Tara Stanley slotted over a drop goal in the dying seconds to seal a 33-10 victory for the Knights.

Gallery:

York City Knights: Liv Whitehead, Ashleigh Hyde, Margot Canal, Emma Kershaw, Georgia Taylor, Tara-Jane Stanley, Jasmine Bell, Katie Langan, Sinead Peach, Matilda Butler, Daisy Sanderson, Hollie Dodd, Savannah Andrade.

Interchange: Kelsey Gentles, Elisa Akpa, Anais Fourcroy, Leila Bessahli.

Tries: Andrade (5′), Dodd (17′), Stanley (21′), Kershaw (49′), Langan (61′), Sanderson (65′)

Goals: Stanley 4/6

Drop Goals: Stanley 1/1

Wigan Warriors: Georgia Wilson, Kaitlin Hilton, Anna Davies, Lauréane Biville, Molly Jones, Rebecca Greenfield, Carys Marsh, Cerys Jones, Abbie Singleton, Holly Speakman, Eva Hunter, Mary Coleman, Sinead Doria.

Interchange: Jade Gregory-Haselden, Gabi Leigh, Jodie Morris, Beth Hayes.

Tries: Biville (24′), Wilson (39′)

Goals: Wilson 1/2