York Valkyrie limp to 32-2 defeat to St Helens in Challenge Cup SF

A Faye Gaskin drop-goal at the death secured Saints’ place in the first of the competition’s finals to be held under the arch last time out, but Matty Smith’s side had it easier this time around against an under-strength Valkyrie visibly struggling with illness and the losses of influential pair Tara Jane Stanley and Sinead Peach.

Without recognised kicker Stanley due to illness, both Rhiannion Marshall and Jas Bell took up the mantle for Lindsay Anfield’s side in South Yorkshire, but despite seeing bright spells, they lacked any real cohesion and  tired during the second half, with the after-effects of last week’s bout of norovirus evident.

Indeed, their only points of a dismal performance came from an eminently kickable penalty shortly after the break.

By contrast, Saints – seeking a fourth consecutive Women’s Challenge Cup - took the initiative, and were a side transformed from their opening day defeat against the Valkyrie as they romped into the final.

Drawing first blood from a Gaskin penalty inside 10 minutes, Smith's side did not look back, with Leah Burke, Emily Rudge, Phoebe Hook, Darcy Stott and Georgia Sutherland all crossing the whitewash to seal a comfortable passage to Wembley.

Lindsay Anfield made two changes to the side that fell to a first Betfred Women’s Super League defeat in almost two years last weekend, most notably missing the influential Stanley due to illness.

That saw Georgie Hetherington moved to full-back, with former Canberra Raiders captain Remi Wilton handed a first start at nine. 

With Liv Gale left out of the squad entirely, Lucy Eastwood was given the nod to partner skipper Sade Rihari in the halves, whilst both Kelsey Gentles and Daisy Sanderson returned to the bench.

Kelsey Gentles impressed on her return from suspension. (Image: Craig Hawkhead Photography)

Saints named a predictably strong starting line-up, with big hitters Jodie Cunningham, Rudge and  Gaskin – last year’s heroine in the semi-final - all included.

Hetherington’s frailties in her new position looked to be exposed from the very first set after she was sent backpedalling to her 10-metre line.

And it took just four minutes for Anfield’s side to make their first mistake, with Rihari unable to handle an offload in her direction as they looked to advance past halfway, but Carrie Roberts was across superbly to force the turnover five metres from the whitewash.

However, another Valkyrie error presented Saints with the opportunity to add the first points to the board with just eight minutes played after a high tackle on Tara Jones, Gaskin slotting over the resultant penalty from 15 metres with ease.

York were perhaps unlucky to see a high tackle on Emma Kershaw escape the eyes of referee Aaryn Belafonte as she bore down on the whitewash, but they could not make their spells in good field position count.

First, Eboni Partington was bundled into touch as she looked to score against her former side, before Lacey Owen's pass into the winger's direction sailed into touch.

Bell was then brought down metres short of the whitewash, but they were sucker-punched shortly before the half-hour as St Helens extended their lead.

Zoe Harris' 40/20 brought Saints downfield before the pressure from a penalty on the 10-metre line told on the Valkyrie defence, a neat show of hands working the ball to Burke, who was given a clear path to run into the left corner.

Gaskin dragged her conversion wide.

The Valkyrie looked to respond immediately after Beri Salihi conceded the game's first drop-out, but Marshall's hanging kick towards the left corner was easily gathered.

A 6-0 half-time scoreline nonetheless left it still all to play for.

However, if the first half had been a closely-contested affair, the second was seemingly one-way traffic.

Saints wasted no time, extending their lead just two minutes after the interval as they profited from another handling error.

Having regained possession on the 30-metre line, a neat shift and step back inside saw interchange Stott power her way over from close range just to the right of the posts, handing Gaskin a simple conversion.

But Anfield's side responded well, the resultant restart seeing Salihi pegged back to her own try-line before they won a repeat set and then a penalty on the 20-metre line.

Marshall wasted no time in calling from the tee, slotting over York's only points.

Rhiannion Marshall scored the Valkyrie's only points from the tee. (Image: Craig Hawkhead Photography)

However, with the Valkyrie visibly tiring, Saints soon began to run riot.

Having won a 20-metre restart and then a six-again, the pressure soon told, with Rudge twisting and turning her way across to the left of the posts.

Gaskin slotted over the conversion with ease, handing them a 16-point lead.

And the Merseysiders were across the whitewash again shortly after the hour, profiting from Roberts' high tackle.

Nobody could live with Hook on the right wing as she raced from the 40-metre line before narrowing the angle for Gaskin to again convert.

Saints continued in the ascendancy, with a high tackle on Gaskin seeing them restart from the 30-metre line, but though Cunningham tried to create something from nothing, Gaskin’s kick on the last rolled dead.

York then won their own penalty for interference at the ruck, but a poor offload to Owen saw a rare attack break down.

Saints widened the scoreline again with five minutes left to play, as after winning a goal-line drop-out and then a six-again, they played the ball right to Hook, who despite a fumble, was able to surge into the right corner.

Gaskin's conversion flew well wide, and she was again off-target three minutes later after Sutherland added icing to Saints' Wembley cake after driving across into the left corner.

But it mattered not, with Smith's side vying for the Challenge Cup under the famous arch once more on June 8.

ST HELENS: Salihi, Hook, McColm, Stott, Burke, Harris, Gaskin, Whitfield, Jones, Crowl, Travis, Rudge, Cunningham.

INTERCHANGES: Williams, Stott, Sutherland, Mottershead. 

TRIES: Burke (29), Stott (42), Rudge (54), Hook (62, 75), Sutherland (78)

GOALS: Gaskin 4/7

YORK VALKYRIE: Hetherington, Kershaw, Roberts, Renouf, Partington, Rihari, Eastwood, Wood, Wilton, Stimpson, Owen, Andrade, Bell.

INTERCHANGES: Marshall, Gentles, Sanderson, Sharp.

GOALS: Marshall 1/1

POINTS SEQUENCE: -2-0, 6-0, 10-0, 12-0, 12-2, 16-2, 18-2, 22-2, 24-2, 28-2, 32-2.

HALF TIME: 6-0

YORK'S STAR WOMAN: Georgie Hetherington. An unfamiliar role, but she offered York's largest attacking threat.

REFEREE: Aaryn Belafonte