YORK Valkyrie moved five points clear at the top of the Betfred Women’s Super League table after a 18-8 come-from-behind victory away to title rivals St Helens at the Totally Wicked Stadium.

St Helens established an 8-0 lead at half-time thanks to a Jodie Cunningham try and two goals from Amy Taylor.

But three tries in the space of 15 minutes saw the Valkyrie turn the contest completely on its head as Lacey Owen, Liv Gale and Tara Jane Stanley all crossed the whitewash.

The result saw the Valkyrie put themselves in pole position to lifting consecutive League Leaders’ Shields in the Betfred Women’s Super League - a feat never before achieved in the BWSL.

Such a result had not appeared on the cards when Saints made a strong start, moving ahead after 17 minutes.

After conceded two penalties and a goal-line drop-out, the pressure told on the Valkyrie line when Cunningham dived over from Taylor’s reverse inside pass.

Taylor landed the conversion and added a further two points through a penalty goal 10 minutes later.

The Valkyrie were a totally different proposition in the second half though. Owen dived in down the left edge after a neat shift to the flank before Gale raced away from 30m out after Saints failed to deal with a Stanley bomb.

Stanley converted the latter try, two of three conversions for the reigning Woman of Steel, who surpassed 300 points for York in the process.

The full-back added her name to the list of try-scorers when collecting a Sade Rihari pass before a trademark dance past two defenders before reaching over the line.

The England international bagged a late penalty goal to ensure that the Valkyrie ended a momentous evening - the Club’s first away win at St Helens - on a high.

St Helens: Harris, Partington, McColm, Stott, Hook, Taylor, Gaskin, Hoyle, Jones, Crowl, Travis, Rudge, Cunningham

Subs (all used): Whitfield, Sams, Stott, Birchall

Tries: Cunningham (17’)

Goals: Taylor (2/2)

Sin-bin: Travis (5')

York: Stanley, Hyde, Renouf, Owen, Kershaw, Rihari, Gale, Akpa, Peach, Staveley, Andrade, Wood, Bell

Subs (all used): Taylor, Sanderson, Sharp, Roberts

Tries: Owen (43’), Gale (50’), Stanley (58’)

Goals: Stanley (3/4)

Referee: M. Lynn