YORK KNIGHTS 28 BRADFORD BULLS 20
KEITH McGHIE, LNER Community Stadium, Sunday
OLI FIELD scored a brace in a frenetic semi-final as York earned a return to Wembley and the chance to gain revenge four years after losing a high-scoring final to Featherstone.
Field’s tries were supplemented by touchdowns from Connor Bailey, Liam Harris and Joe Brown as the Knights even managed to overcome an early deficit and the late sin-binning of Paul McShane.
York, getting into their stride after a difficult start to the season, defeated Halifax and Widnes en route to the semi-finals and were worthy winners against a Bradford side which scored a couple of amazing tries but never fully managed to strike their rhythm.
The high-flying hosts, now with just one defeat in nine games, were deprived of the use of prolific try-scorer Ben Jones-Bishop due to the centre being cup-tied.
Jones-Bishop scored four tries in the eleven-try destruction of Hunslet the previous Sunday and no fewer than nine in his past four games but was forced to sit and watch from the sidelines.
Unpredictable playmaker Ata Hingano was restored to the home ranks having missed the last game through a shoulder problem, while Bailey was also back in amber and black.
The Bulls, who beat Batley and Sheffield en-route to the semi-final, went ahead in the fifth minute when, after recent signing Toa Mata’afa fumbled a towering James Meadows kick, and Luke Hooley joined the line, then capitalised on a gap to open the scoring, although the Castleford loanee narrowly missed with the conversion.
Bradford were roared on by a massive share of the crowd mostly crammed into a sold-out South Stand, and the visitors were denied a second touchdown when Sam Hallas dived over from dummy-half but a faulty play-the-ball was called.
Mata’afa had a try ruled out for obstruction, then Kieran Gill almost put Guy Armitage over at the other end as the game fluctuated.
Jesse Dee burst clear to raise the hopes of the equally vocal home support and, as York began to shade the ascendancy, Kieran Hudson went close.
Finally the Bulls’ dam broke and Field dived through with Harris edging the Knight in front.
Buchanan half broke a tackle and off-loaded to send the supporting Bailey over with less than a minute of the half to play, although surprisingly Harris failed to put two scores between the sides as the kick was hooked wide.
The momentum swing was far from permanent and first Gill was held up then, some minutes later, Armitage somehow got the ball free when he seemed be wrapped up on the last tackle for Gill to score.
Hooley again missed the conversion, only for Harris to break through a dishevelled Bulls defence and dart clear from halfway and score, only this time his kick did give the Knights breathing space.
Just after the hour the bounce of a high kick went in York’s favour, as Okunbor was left stranded and Dee’s pick up and pass sent Field racing over again.
The Knights almost scored again and McShane was sin-binned for delaying the restart when the try was ruled out.
The Bulls, now 22-8 behind but against twelve men, threw caution to the wind and an outrageous Lilley kick into space was successfully chased by Okunbor who more than made amends with a spectacular dive into the corner.
Hooley, having missed two of three kicks, landed the touchline effort but strong tackling and Joe Brown’s late clinching try sent York to north London again, although hard-working Waqa Blake gained scant consolation for Bradford in the final seconds.
GAMESTAR: Liam Harris’ stunning second-half break opened up the contest and his subsequent game management kept York on track.
GAMEBREAKER: Oli Field’s second try left Bradford with just too much to do.
HIGHLIGHT REEL: Jayden Okunbor scored an acrobatic try, but it wasn’t enough to win the game for Bradford.
MATCHFACTS
KNIGHTS
36 Toa Mata’afa
2 Joe Brown
3 Kieran Buchanan
20 Oli Field
35 Scott Galeano
6 Ata Hingano
7 Liam Harris
8 Jack Martin
9 Paul McShane
17 Ukuma Ta’ai
11 Jesse Dee
12 Connor Bailey
13 Jordan Thompson
Subs (all used)
10 Brenden Santi
16 Jacob Gannon
19 Sam Cook
31 Kieran Hudson
18th man (not used)
24 Harvey Reynolds
Also in 21-man squad
4 Joe Law
21 Conor Fitzsimmons
22 Jacques O’Neill
Tries: Field (37, 62), Bailey (40), Harris (56), Brown (77)
Goals: Harris 4/5
Sin bin: McShane (67) – professional foul
BULLS
26 Luke Hooley
27 Jayden Okunbor
3 Waqa Blake
4 Kieran Gill
5 Guy Armitage
6 James Meadows
9 Jordan Lilley
15 Logan Bayliss
9 Sam Hallas
8 Michael Lawrence
11 Zac Fulton
12 Matty Gee
13 James Donaldson
Subs (all used)
14 Mitch Souter
20 Ronan Michael
21 Emmanuel Waine
25 Bayley Liu
18th man (not used)
19 Tyran Ott
Also in 21-man squad
7 Joe Keyes
10 Ebon Scurr
16 Nathan Mason
Tries: Hooley (5), Gill (52), Okunbor (69), Blake (80)
Goals: Hooley 1/3, Blake 1/1
SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-4, 6-4, 10-4; 10-8, 16-8, 22-8, 22-14, 28-14, 28-20
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Knights: Liam Harris; Bulls: Waqa Blake
Penalty count: 3-6
Half-time: 10-4
Referee: Cameron Worsley
