YORK VALKYRIE 34 HUDDERSFIELD GIANTS 10
EMMA KENNEDY, LNER Community Stadium, Sunday
AN Eboni Partington brace helped a dominant York ease home to set up a semi-final clash with Wigan next month.
The Valkyrie ran in seven tries but squandered a host of further opportunities in what was a stop-start encounter, with early-season sloppiness evident for both sides throughout.
York were much changed from their group stage win against Barrow a fortnight ago, with Aussie centre Monique Donovan impressing on debut, while the returning Lisa Parker and Carrie Roberts both featured off the bench after rejoining the club.
Grand Final winner Liv Gale, Eva Izumi, Georgia Cussons and Lauren Exley turned out for Huddersfield against their former side.
Neither team could find their rhythm in an error-strewn opening quarter of an hour, though York came close to taking an early lead when Ellie Williamson weaved her way through the Giants’ defence, only to be stopped narrowly short.
Savannah Andrade was next to try her luck after a knock-on gifted the hosts promising field position, but was prevented from crossing the try-line by some excellent scrambling defence.
York’s pressure eventually turned into points in the 17th minute, Donovan making her mark by scoring on the right edge after a neat show of hands from a scrum.
Williamson missed the conversion but made no mistake ten minutes later after Sinead Peach fed Megan Pakulis to score under the posts.
Rhiannion Marshall took over the kicking duties after Parker crashed over from close range to mark her return with a try before an unselfish Donovan played in Partington to score York’s fourth on the stroke of half-time, handing them a 20-0 lead.
Huddersfield had offered little in the first half, but got themselves onto the board against the run of play within a minute of the restart when Mollie Iceton intercepted a cut-out pass and raced 90 metres to score in the left corner, Sam Hulme converting.
But that proved just a temporary blip for York, who swiftly capitalised on a knock-on to send Brooke Henderson over from close range out wide.
It took until the hour for York’s try-line defence to be tested off the back of a penalty, but they stood up to the challenge, forcing a knock-on as a rare Huddersfield chance went begging.
An Amelia Brown knock-on laid the position for Partington to brush off two would-be tackles to score her second into the left corner, knocking the wind out of Huddersfield’s sails.
Andrade then burst through a gap in the visiting defence to add her name to the scoresheet, Marshall converting thanks to a favourable bounce off the left-hand post.
Huddersfield did manage a late consolation, taking advantage of consecutive penalties and a six-again to send Iceton in at the left corner for her second.
GAMESTAR: York loose-forward Megan Pakulis proved a handful for the Huddersfield defence, deservedly adding her name to the scoresheet.
GAMEBREAKER: Eboni Partington’s first try just before half-time meant that at 20-0, the Valkyrie had all but wrapped up victory.
MATCHFACTS
VALKYRIE
26 Liv Turner
19 Brooke Henderson
23 Monique Donovan
21 Petra Woods
2 Eboni Partington
6 Sade Rihari
7 Ellie Williamson
8 Liv Wood
9 Sinead Peach
10 Jas Bell
11 Tamzin Renouf
12 Savannah Andrade
15 Megan Pakulis
Subs (all used)
14 Izzy Bibby
13 Rhiannion Marshall
22 Carrie Roberts
24 Lisa Parker
Tries: Donovan (17), Pakulis (27), Parker (37), Partington (40, 66), Henderson (51), Andrade (70)
Goals: Williamson 1/2, Marshall 2/5
GIANTS
1 Amelia Brown
2 Faye Barraclough
3 Elle Frain
16 Eva Izumi
5 Mollie Iceton
26 Liv Gale
7 Sam Hulme
8 Gracie Hobbs
9 Megan Preston
10 Lauren Exley
12 Maddy Hutchinson
15 Georgia Cussons
20 Leah Mae Beckett
Subs (all used)
14 Jess Harrap
17 Kacy Haley
22 Holly Whitaker
27 Eloise Hayward
Tries: Iceton (41, 79)
Goals: Hulme 1/2
SCORING SEQUENCE: 4-0, 10-0, 16-0, 20-0; 20-6, 24-6, 28-6, 34-6, 34-10
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Women of the Match
Valkyrie: Megan Pakulis; Giants: Mollie Iceton
Penalty count: 5-7
Half-time: 20-0
Referee: Liam Breheny