YORK KNIGHTS 14 WAKEFIELD TRINITY 26
DAVE CRAVEN, LNER Community Stadium, Friday

TWO-TRY wingers Tom Johnstone and Oliver Pratt helped Wakefield survive Max Jowitt’s controversial late yellow card to edge past York in a thriller.

The hosts, with Aussie prop Paul Vaughan immense up front, were pushing for victory trailing just 16-14 and with their opponents down to twelve men.

But England winger Johnstone scored a fine solo try in the 75th minute, rounding off superb work from Corey Hall, to leave Mark Applegarth’s side on the end of another narrow defeat.

York-born Pratt, who was excellent on the other flank, rubbed salt into the wound with a score in the closing stages.

Jowitt, who had been in fine form just a few hours after his club announced the signing of NRL superstar fullback or winger Roger Tuivasa-Sheck for 2027, was sin-binned for dangerous play after trying to kick a ball dead and narrowly missing Will Dagger’s head as the York replacement tried to score.

Knights could have argued for a penalty try at that point but they did get over soon after when Nikau Williams crossed.

However, the centre’s conversion attempt to level at 16-16 fell just short – he also hit a simple first-half effort against a post – and York, who lost by a point at Wigan last week, missed out again.

Defeat also came at a cost with ex-England centre Sam Wood needing to leave the field in the second half after a dislocated finger couldn’t be put back in.

And, more worryingly, dangerous fullback Toa Mata’afa also had to depart with a dislocated elbow – leaving York to finish with twelve men as they were out of subs.

York should really have been ahead at the break but, instead, found themselves 12-10 behind when Jowitt booted a touchline conversion after the hooter.

Pratt had finished a sweeping move, latching onto Jowitt’s brilliant final cut-out pass, for the try.

And Pratt had been crucial at the other end, too, moments before when trailing 10-6.

He cleared up Josh Griffin’s kick to avert danger but Tom Grant awarded a goalline drop-out after the grounded Trinity winger was forced back behind his own goalline.

But Wakefield successfully challenged he was already held and, instead, earned a penalty that led to the positive swing.

Mata’afa thought he’d responded for York in the 51st minute after mopping up when Jowitt spilled a high kick but it was chalked off after replays showed the fullback had been checked in the air by Justin Sangaré.

Soon after, Hall was denied in the corner after York desperately scrambled to protect their line.

But they did get over when Jake Trueman picked out a beautiful pass on the last tackle to smuggle Johnstone over in the 58th minute, the international who would end up making sure at the death.

York needed to make their first half pressure count.

They impressed early on but Va’a was held up over the goalline and then Vaughan fumbled stretching for the line.

Trueman produced a brilliant try-saving tackle to deny Jesse Dee and Wakefield had little look-in, although Hall was held up with one rare attack.

York earned a breakthrough when Wood crashed onto a short Paul McShane pass at pace in the 14th minute.

But Wakefield’s goalline defence was terrific, Pratt denying David Nofoaluma before they got their first try via Caleb Hamlin-Uele.

Ben Jones-Bishop responded for York but they fell short again.

GAMESTAR: Oliver Pratt scored twice and was involved brilliantly at both ends.

GAMEBREAKER: Tom Johnstone’s glorious second saw Wakefield home and ended York’s fight.

HIGHLIGHT REEL: Jake Trueman’s pass for Tom Johnstone’s first try was superb.

ALBERT GOLDTHORPE POINTS
3 pts Oliver Pratt (Wakefield)
2 pts Paul Vaughan (York)
1 pt Max Jowitt (Wakefield)

MATCHFACTS

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

Tries: Wood (14), Jones-Bishop (35), Williams (69)
Goals: Williams 1/3

TRINITY
1 Max Jowitt
2 Oliver Pratt
3 Cam Scott
4 Corey Hall
5 Tom Johnstone
6 Jake Trueman
20 Jack Sinfield
8 Mike McMeeken
9 Tyson Smoothy
10 Ky Rodwell
18 Isaiah Vagana
12 Matty Storton
13 Jazz Tevaga
Subs (all used)
14 Jay Pitts
15 Caleb Hamlin-Uele
16 Caius Faatili
17 Harvey Smith
18th man (not used)
11 Seth Nikotemo
Also in 21-man squad
21 Jayden Myers
23 Josh Rourke
24 Tray Lolesio

Tries: Hamlin-Uele (31), Pratt (39, 79), Johnstone (58, 75)
Goals: Jowitt 2/4, Sinfield 1/1
Sin bin: Jowitt (66) – foul play

SCORING SEQUENCE: 6-0, 6-6, 10-6, 10-12; 10-16, 14-16, 14-22, 14-26

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Knights: Paul Vaughan; Trinity: Oliver Pratt

Penalty count: 6-6
Half-time: 10-12
Referee: Tom Grant
Attendance: 5,796