YORK VALKYRIE 54 FEATHERSTONE ROVERS 6
LORRAINE MARSDEN, LNER Community Stadium, Sunday
YORK pulled away in the second half to seal another dominant performance and confirm their spot at the top of Group Two.
Eboni Partington and Tara Moxon both went close to opening the scoring inside the opening eight minutes but it was Ellie Williamson, with great footwork to race 40 metres down the wing and sidestep Angel Bentley, that put York’s first points on the board.
When Savannah Andrade and Jaz Rampton crossed soon after, it was beginning to look like one-way traffic for York, and two successful conversions from Williamson – she kicked five in total – took the hosts into an 16-0 lead with just over a quarter gone.
Then within minutes of coming on for her club debut, Izzy Bibby crossed from close range to further increase York’s lead.
Featherstone never gave up though, and pulled a try back before the break through Liv Grace, converted by Dani Waters.
But that was it for Rovers, and a second try from Rampton just before the hooter saw York lead 24-6 at the break.
York’s dominance was more noticeable in the second half, crossing for six more tries to go past the half-century for a second game in a row.
Two tries from Moxon within the space of seven minutes were followed by Andrade’s second.
Andrade also set up a score for Tamzin Renouf before completing her hat-trick soon after, while Renouf grabbed a second before the end.
VALKYRIE: 1 Georgie Dagger, 2 Eboni Partington, 3 Tamzin Renouf, 23 Jaz Rampton, 5 Emma Kershaw, 6 Sade Rihari, 7 Ellie Williamson, 11 Rhiannion Marshall, 9 Sinead Peach, 16 Lisa Parker, 12 Savannah Andrade, 21 Tara Moxon, 13 Megan Pakulis. Subs (all used): 10 Jas Bell, 15 Jess Sharp, 18 Alex Stimpson, 14 Izzy Bibby
Tries: Williamson (9), Andrade (12, 60, 72), Rampton (22, 39), Bibby (29), Moxon (47, 54), Renouf (65, 79); Goals: Williamson 5/11
ROVERS: 1 Angel Bentley, 2 Ellie Lamb, 3 Chloe Billington, 17 Hannah Watt, 5 Shavon Craven, 6 Dani Waters, 7 Liv Grace, 8 Gabrielle Harrison, 9 Charley Blackburn, 13 Brogan Kennedy, 11 Katie Evans, 15 Kacey Davies, 13 Brogan Churm. Subs (all used): 14 Alyssa Courtney, 10 Emillie Holmes, 22 Jasmine Hazell, 16 Lydia Fawkes.
Tries: Grace (38); Goals: Waters 1/1
SCORING SEQUENCE: 6-0, 12-0, 16-0, 20-0, 20-6, 24-6; 30-6, 34-6, 40-6, 44-6, 50-6, 54-6
Half-time: 24-6
