YORK VALKYRIE 54 BARROW RAIDERS 12
LORRAINE MARSDEN, LNER Community Stadium, Sunday

DUE to Salford pulling out of the competition before the fixtures were even announced, both York and Barrow knew they had already qualified for the quarter-finals – and that this game was simply a way of deciding who earned a home draw there.

And York had that honour sewn up by half-time after six tries and four goals put them 32-2 up at the break.

Tamzin Renouf opened the scoring inside the first minute, and from the restart Savannah Andrade took an Ellie Williamson pass to double York’s lead. Rhinannion Marshall added her only goal from three first-half attempts.

After 15 minutes of hard work from Barrow, York were in again with a try from Brooke Henderson on debut, before Andrade crossed for her second and Renouf twice more to complete her hat-trick. 

Ellie Williamson took over kicking duties and added three conversions before the break, on the stroke of which Leah Clough’s try finally got the Raiders running.

Five minutes after the restart Tara Moxon extended York’s lead, before Barrow’s Emily Stirzaker fed Chloe Capstick to add a second for Barrow, which Nicole Stewart was unable to convert.

Despite how hard Barrow were working in defence, York went further ahead with Canada international Petra Woods scoring on debut on the hour mark, and Williamson, who added two more second-half conversions, scooting over with just over five minutes to play.

Barrow added a late consolation through Emma Hutchinson but York had the final say when Williamson crossed for her second in front of the posts, to add a sixth conversion of the afternoon and secure a home quarter-final later this month.

VALKYRIE: 26 Olivia Turner, 19 Brooke Henderson, 4 Tara Moxon, 21 Petra Woods, 5 Chevelle Clarke, 6 Sade Rihari, 7 Ellie Williamson, 8 Liv Wood, 14 Izzy Bibby, 15 Megan Pakulis, 11 Tamzin Renouf, 12 Savannah Andrade, 13 Rhiannion Marshall. Subs (all used): 16 Agnes Wood, 17 Charlotte McDaid, 20 T’leesha Frederick-Maynard, 27 Ruby Ellis

Tries: Renouf (1, 29, 32), Andrade (3, 23), Henderson (20), Moxon (45), P Woods (60), Williamson (74, 79); Goals: Marshall 1/3; Williamson 6/7

RAIDERS: 1 Sam Norman, 2 Chloe Capstick, 3 Emily Stirzaker, 4 Claire Hutchinson, 5 Emma Hutchinson, 6 Kerrie-Ann Smith, 20 Imogen Smillie, 15 Jodie Crawford, 14 Leah Cottier, 10 Jodie Morley, 8 Leah Clough, 12 Vanessa Temple, 13 Nicole Stewart. Subs (all used): 9 Beth Lindsay, 17 Kelly Friend, 18 Megan Mayhew-Beach, 25 Zara Clough

Tries: L Clough (38), Capstick (53), E Hutchinson (78); Goals: Lindsay 0/1, Stewart 0/2

SCORING SEQUENCE: 4-0, 10-0, 14-0, 20-0, 26-0, 32-0, 32-4; 36-4, 36-8, 42-8, 48-8, 48-12, 54-12

Half-time: 32-4