YORK KNIGHTS 20 WIGAN WARRIORS 72
EMMA KENNEDY, LNER Community Stadium, Saturday

NOAH HODKINSON and Jai Field both scored hat-tricks as Wigan put York to the sword.

Just a Harry Smith field-goal had separated the sides in a thriller at The Brick Community Stadium back in March, but the Warriors found things much more straightforward this time around as they tore their opponents apart at will.

It was job done for Wigan before the half-time hooter, having racked up over a point a minute in a scintillating opening half, but York showed their mettle to stage a late rally inside the final ten minutes.

The visitors made a perfect start after Liam Harris’ kick-off had flown out on the full. Sam Eseh – returning in place of the injured Ethan Havard – collected Brad O’Neill’s pass before finding room in a cluster of York defenders to reach out a hand and score with just over 90 seconds played.

Adam Keighran added the first of ten conversions and did so again six minutes later after Jake Wardle collected Harry Smith’s pass, sidestepping Harris and racing over on the left edge untouched.

Barely allowing the Knights a hand on the ball, the visitors continued to pile on the points.

Field handed Hodkinson a walk-in at the left corner before Keighran got in on the act on the quarter-hour after Jack Farrimond’s grubber bounced perfectly for him to score on the right edge.

Hodkinson scored the pick of the tries with 24 minutes played after Field had collected a Hunter grubber, racing forward 50 metres before floating a kick into the path of the young winger, who beat Sam Wood to touch down in the left corner.

York grew into the match, with Denive Balmforth adding zip from the bench, the returning Nikau Williams giving them their best sight of the tryline just before the half-hour.

But it wasn’t long until Wigan put their foot on the gas once more, Bevan French releasing Field to score next to the posts before a sloppy Harris pass opened the door for Smith to send Junior Nsemba across the line.

Field then raced onto Smith’s chip, handing the visitors a commanding 44-0 lead at the break.

York emerged for the second half without Toa Mata’afa, who had been carrying a knock, with Wigan quickly picking up where they left off.

They soon brought up the half-century, Field pouncing on an error and racing 70 metres to complete his hat-trick, before Wardle sent in Hodkinson to bring up his own treble shortly after.

The scoring burst continued when French’s grubber bounced up perfectly for him to reach out a hand to score with half an hour left before Hodkinson set up Wardle for the centre’s second.

A short kick-off then compounded York’s woes, Farrimond running 50 metres to score as the floodgates showed no signs of shutting.

But with the result not in question, the game’s ferocious tempo began to settle down, with a reinvigorated York finally giving their supporters something to cheer about, scoring four unanswered tries inside the final ten minutes.

Cody Hunter twisted out of a tackle to score their first points with eight minutes left, before turning provider to send Scott Galeano into the right corner.

Skipper Harris characteristically ghosted his way through close to the line before Hunter proved too strong for the Wigan defence as he powered over in the dying seconds, Jon Bennison’s two conversions making the scoreline more respectable.

GAMESTAR: Halfback Harry Smith marshalled Wigan’s play excellently.

GAMEBREAKER: Wigan’s superb start set the tone for a one-sided first half in which they scored over a point a minute.

HIGHLIGHT REEL: Noah Hodkinson’s second try was a thing of beauty, particularly Jai Field’s enterprising kick.

ALBERT GOLDTHORPE POINTS
3 pts Harry Smith (Wigan)
2 pts Jai Field (Wigan)
1 pt Noah Hodkinson (Wigan)

MATCHFACTS

KNIGHTS
1 Toa Mata’afa
5 Scott Galeano
4 Sam Wood
26 Nikau Williams
46 David Nofoaluma
37 Cody Hunter
7 Liam Harris
8 Jack Martin
48 Tom Inman
10 Paul Vaughan
20 Oli Field
30 Harvey Reynolds
13 Jordan Thompson
Subs (all used)
6 Ata Hingano
14 Denive Balmforth
15 Xavier Va’a
23 Jon Bennison
18th man (not used)
17 Kieran Hudson
Also in 21-man squad
16 Justin Sangaré
21 Kieran Buchanan
24 Will Dagger

Tries: Hunter (72, 78), Galeano (75), Harris (79)
Goals: Hunter 0/1, Bennison 2/3

WARRIORS
1 Jai Field
2 Zach Eckersley
3 Adam Keighran
4 Jake Wardle
28 Noah Hodkinson
19 Jack Farrimond
7 Harry Smith
20 Sam Eseh
9 Brad O’Neill
10 Luke Thompson
11 Junior Nsemba
12 Liam Farrell
17 Oliver Partington
Subs (all used)
6 Bevan French
13 Kaide Ellis
15 Patrick Mago
23 Kian McDermott
18th man (not used)
25 Taylor Kerr
Also in 21-man squad
33 George O’Loughlin
36 George Marsden
41 Shea O’Connor

Tries: Eseh (2), Wardle (7, 53), Hodkinson (11, 24, 46), Keighran (15), Field (31, 39, 44), Nsemba (35), French (50), Farrimond (55)
Goals: Keighran 10/13

SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6, 0-12, 0-16, 0-22, 0-28, 0-34, 0-38, 0-44; 0-50, 0-56, 0-60, 0-66, 0-72, 4-72, 8-72, 14-72, 20-72

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Knights: Jordan Thompson; Warriors: Harry Smith

Penalty count: 3-5
Half-time: 0-44
Referee: Tara Jones