YORK KNIGHTS 56 KEIGHLEY COUGARS 10
JOHN DAVIDSON, LNER Community Stadium, Saturday

YORK booked their place in the fifth round of the Challenge Cup with a one-sided demolition of Keighley.

The Knights made short work of their Championship opponents as expected, running in five tries in the first half and six in the second to completely blow the Cougars out of the water.

Liam Harris and King Vuniyayawa each grabbed braces as the Knights moved into the quarter-finals for only the second time in their current incarnation.

York made several changes from their Super League defeat to Warrington, with Scott Galeano replacing the cup-tied David Nofoaluma on the wing, Ata Hingano replacing Danny Richardson in the halves and Vuniyayawa coming in for injured Jordan Thompson at loose-forward.

It was a lively encounter from the kick-off, the home side almost scoring in their first set with the ball.

David Foggin-Johnson made a great intercept and break of 60 metres in the fifth minute, but George Flanagan was held up over the try-line.

York drew first blood on ten minutes when Liam Harris took a few defenders over the line with him after a strong carry and converted his own try to make it 6-0.

Four minutes later the Knights were in again, Vuniyayawa strolling over untouched after a lovely inside ball from Mata’afa. Harris added the extras again to extend the lead to 12-0.

York were in the mood and Sam Wood was the next to cross, stepping through some laboured defence on the right edge.

Harris couldn’t land this one from the sideline but the home team were in complete control and continued to make metres through the middle with ease.

York lost Wood in the 25th minute for a head-injury assessment, but the Knights’ fifth try came soon after, Oli Field’s excellent offload inside putting Denive Balmforth over.

As expected, the full-time outfit was proving fitter and stronger than their part-time opponents, and Dee barged over right before half-time.

Harris’ kick was unsuccessful for a third time in succession but York were dominant with a 24-0 buffer.

It took just two minutes into the second half for the Knights to touch down again, this time Josh Griffin scoring off a Hingano pass.

Paul McShane took over the kicking duties and nailed his first attempt.

Keighley were still battling on and got their reward in the 45th minute, Brad Holroyd diving over after a nice shift to the left flank, although Izaac Farrell wasn’t successful with his conversion attempt from the sideline.

Normal service quickly resumed with a swooping play to the right corner, ending with Ben Jones-Bishop grabbing a York try.

A simple show-and-go was enough for Harris to get his second try of the day and, after missing his last kick, McShane nailed this one to extend the score to 40-4.

With 14 minutes left Flanagan burrowed over from short range to secure Keighley’s second.

But the afternoon belonged to York, with Hingano, Vuniyayawa and Nikau Williams adding further tries in the final eleven minutes as they kept their dream of a return to Wembley – where they lifted the 1895 Cup last season – alive.

GAMESTAR: Toa Mata’afa was electric and had a hand in several York tries.

GAMEBREAKER: Oli Field’s great pass for the Knights’ fourth score put the result beyond doubt.

HIGHLIGHT REEL: Sam Wood showed brute strength in his barnstorming four-pointer.

MATCHFACTS

KNIGHTS
1 Toa Mata’afa
2 Ben Jones-Bishop
4 Sam Wood
26 Nikau Williams
5 Scott Galeano
6 Ata Hingano
7 Liam Harris
8 Jack Martin
9 Paul McShane
10 Paul Vaughan
20 Oli Field
12 Jesse Dee
31 King Vuniyayawa
Subs (all used)
11 Josh Griffin
14 Denive Balmforth
15 Xavier Va’a
16 Justin Sangaré
18th man (not used)
19 Danny Richardson
Also in 20-man squad
21 Kieran Buchanan
24 Will Dagger

Tries: Harris (10, 60), Vuniyayawa (14, 74), Wood (18), Balmforth (26), Dee (39), Griffin (42), Jones-Bishop (52), Hingano (69), Williams (78)
Goals: Harris 3/6, McShane 2/4, Williams 1/1

COUGARS
1 Connor Sayner
19 David Foggin-Johnston
5 Dylan Proud
21 Alfie Dean
2 Brad Holyroyd
24 Ben Dean
6 Izaac Farrell
30 Ronan Michael
14 George Flanagan
11 Lucas Green
12 Lachlan Lanskey
27 George Hill
26 Nathan Rushworth
Subs (all used)
8 Dan Parker
16 Leo Aliyu
17 Jordan Schofield
18 Oli Whitford
18th man (not used)
20 Leo Skerrett-Evans
Also in 21-man squad
4 Max Clarke
9 Oli Burton
23 Brandon Pickersgill

Tries: Holroyd (45), Flanagan (66)
Goals: Farrell 1/2

SCORING SEQUENCE: 6-0, 12-0, 16-0, 20-0, 24-0; 30-0, 30-4, 34-4, 40-4, 40-10, 44-10, 50-10, 56-10

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Man of the Match
Knights: Toa Mata’afa; Cougars: Connor Sayner

Penalty count: 1-6
Half-time: 24-0
Referee: Chris Kendall
Attendance: 2,008