York Valkyrie's BWSL title defence dealt blow by 18-10 defeat to Wigan

Lindsay Anfield had hoped that home advantage would see her injury-hit side over the line against the inexperienced Warriors, but defeat leaves them fourth ahead of a tough trip to St Helens in just over a week's time.

York came out of the blocks well, but a costly 20-metre restart saw Eva Hunter bring Wigan onto the board with just three minutes played.

And a similar Valkyrie error paved the way for their second on the quarter-hour, with a neat show of hands sending Ellise Derbyshire across into the left corner.

But though the in-form Eboni Partington brought the hosts back within two as the half reached its midpoint, Hunter’s second handed Wigan a 14-6 half-time lead.

17-year-old Jenna Foubister extended the Warriors’ lead just minutes into the second half, but though Partington again found the whitewash in the dying minutes, it was too little, too late to prevent a second league defeat for the Valkyrie.

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Anfield was able to welcome back second-rower Lacey Owen from injury, seeing Liv Gale replace youngster Evie Sexton in the centres, whilst French youngster Mahault Pommier was handed her first start alongside Sade Rihari in the halves.

Lisa Parker, named among the interchanges after signing on dual registration from Sheffield Eagles, made her Valkyrie debut off the bench.

Wigan named BWSL top-scorer Anna Davies among their starting line-up, with Hunter partnering the experienced Vicky Molyneux in the second row.

It was the Valkyrie who started the better of the sides in front of their home crowd, forcing a goal-line drop-out just a minute into the contest.

However, their defence was soon breached, Wigan taking advantage of a 20-metre restart as Hunter broke through the defensive line before racing into the corner to break the deadlock.Isabel Rowe could not convert from the touchline.

York responded positively to falling behind, pinning Wigan back within their 30-metre line from the restart, but could not capitalise on that, nor Emma Kershaw’s fantastic catch from a dangerous chip on her 20-metre line.

The Warriors’ defence was at its best to prevent a certain score with 13 minutes played, with Kershaw then fingertips from grounding a grubber.

But despite their pressure, Tara Jane Stanley’s kick had too much on it, with Wigan instead again making their 20-metre restart count.

Davies showed just why she leads the division’s scoring charts with a rapid right-wing break, before a neat show of hands saw the ball find Derbyshire to double her side’s lead into the opposite corner on the quarter-hour. Rowe could again not convert.

The in-form Eboni Partington brought the Valkyrie back within two points, but Wigan extended their lead before the break. (Image: Alan Milner/Milner Creative/York RLFC)

The Valkyrie did manage to bring themselves onto the scoreboard as the half reached its midpoint, with the in-form Partington profiting from an overlap and shrugging off a tackle to crash into the left corner.

Stanley’s conversion ensured they were still firmly in the arm-wrestle, reducing the deficit to 8-6.

But it was the visitors who eked out their advantage, Hunter again exploiting a gap in the Valkyrie’s defence before collecting Foubister’s offload to score her second of the afternoon with half an hour played.

Rowe’s only successful conversion ensured the visitors held a 14-6 lead at the break.

Wigan started like a train after the interval, extending their lead after just four minutes when a right-edge break saw Foubister crash over from close range on the last tackle. Rowe’s conversion came back off the post.

Stanley looked to drag the Valkyrie back into proceedings, but she knocked-on after a huge hit from Derbyshire as she collected her own inventive chip just before the hour.

York though continued to remain under the cosh, coughing up a penalty for an incorrect play-the-ball, with Liv Wood thwarting an attack before the Warriors were penalised for obstruction less than 10 metres from the try-line.

The hosts lost Gale to injury with 10 minutes remaining before Stanley’s stunning looping pass released Partington, but the winger lost the ball as she was tackled with the line gaping.

A last-ditch tackle then saw Wigan full-back Grace Banks stopped narrowly short of the line.

However, it was the Valkyrie who had the last word in the dying minutes, with Partington squeezing across into the left corner.

Stanley could not add the extras, with Wigan seeing out an 18-10 victory to keep the pressure on at the top of the table.

YORK VALKYRIE: Stanley, Partington, Gale, Izumi, Kershaw, Rihari, Pommier, Wood, Hetherington, Sharp, Owen, Andrade, Pakulis.

INTERCHANGES: Bell, Eastwood, Sexton, Parker

TRIES: Partington (21, 78)

GOALS: Stanley 1/2

WIGAN WARRIORS: Banks, Davies, Wilson, Jones, Derbyshire, Rowe, Foubister, Speakman, Casey, Coleman, Hunter, Molyneux, Thompson.

INTERCHANGES: Gregory-Haselden, Jones, Hayes, Marsh

TRIES: Hunter (3,30), Derbyshire (15), Foubister (44)

GOALS: Rowe 1/4

POINTS SEQUENCE: 0-4, 0-8, 4-8, 6-8, 6-12, 6-14, 6-18, 10-18

HALF TIME: 6-14

YORK’S STAR WOMAN: Tara Jane Stanley.