York Valkryie beat St Helens 18-8 in Women's Super League Grand Final

Despite being without captain, and Woman of Steel Sinead Peach for the entirety of the season, and the influential Tara Jane Stanley for large parts with injury, Lindsay Anfield’s side have defied the odds to again write their names into the history books.

It has no doubt been a transformative season for York, with a greater onus placed upon their youngsters, two of which, Izzy Brennan and Lisa Parker, played their parts after being handed starts at the Totally Wicked Stadium.

But it was ultimately early second-half tries from Eboni Partington and Kelsey Gentles that took the game away from a fancied St Helens side.

Such was the expectation placed upon the hosts’ shoulders, a digital banner had been shown around the stadium announcing them as Champions before kick-off.

Matty Smith’s Saints had been within a whisker of claiming a memorable treble after winning both the League Leaders’ Shield and Betfred Women’s Challenge Cup earlier in the season and made the perfect start after sending top-scorer Leah Burke across into the left corner with 10 minutes on the clock.

But York hit back on the quarter-hour after Beri Salihi dropped Brennan’s kick, Lacey Owen rounding a handful of defenders to put her side in front.

However, two cheap penalties in the six minutes before the break handed Saints the slenderest of half-time leads.

York though came out with a fire under them in the second half, retaking the lead within three minutes of the restart after Eboni Partington found just enough space to score against her former club.

And Anfield’s side were in dreamland when Kelsey Gentles barged over beneath the posts in the 55th minute, Liam Rush’s on-field call of ‘no try’ overruled by the video referee.

Brennan missed a penalty late on, but it mattered none on a night to remember for the Valkyrie.

MATCH RECAP: St Helens 8-18 York Valkyrie - BWSL Grand Final

Anfield made one change from York’s Semi-Final win at Leeds Rhinos a fortnight ago, with Manqualo Komaitai replacing Remi Wilton as she made her first appearance since June.

Carrie Roberts switched to the wing, having been eager to contain the prolific Burke in a right-edge battle.

St Helens named a settled side including Tara Jones and Woman of Steel nominee Faye Gaskin, both making their final appearances before retirement.

The Valkyrie celebrate at the full time hooter. (Image: Craig Hawkhead Photography) As they had in the Semi-Final a fortnight ago, the Valkyrie came out strongly, with Georgie Hetherington racing through a gap to the 10-metre line before Saints forced an error from the next tackle.

The hosts’ shakiness at the back though was a running theme, with Brennan’s swirling kick on the last spilled by Phoebe Hook on her 10-metre line.

But again, the Valkyrie coughed up a simple error, with Komaitai unable to reel in a sloppy pass from Liv Wood with the tryline gaping.

It took six minutes for the hosts to make their first foray into the York half, heled by a penalty for holding down Chantelle Crowl, but the prop could not hold onto the ball 35 metres from the line as she was tackled by Savannah Andrade.

But within a blink of an eye, Saints were ahead, having forced a ball spill just inside their own half.

Neither makeshift winger Roberts nor Komaitai could lay a hand on Women’s Super League top-scorer Burke as she raced forward 35 metres to score her 32nd try of the season into the left corner.

Despite a good effort from the touchline, Gaskin’s conversion did not have the distance.

The hosts looked to carry that momentum into the restart, and though Gaskin advanced to the 30-metre line after selling the Valkyrie defence an almighty dummy, Paige Travis could not reel in her offload as she was tackled.

Instead, York hit back out of nowhere just before the quarter-hour.

Brennan’s high hanging kick slipped through Salihi’s fingers and into the hands of a grateful Owen, who rounded a couple of defenders before scoring beneath the posts, handing Brennan the simplest of conversions to put her side in front.

Lacey Owen celebrates putting York in front. (Image: Craig Hawkhead Photography) The teams traded knock-ons before another Brennan kick was dropped by Hook, but interchange Rhiannion Marshall could not take a pass in her direction as she seemed set to score.

A combination of Partington and Megan Pakulis forced Hook into a knock-on metres from the line, however it wasn’t long until Saints turned the game on its head from the tee.

First, Katie Mottershead was caught high on the 10-metre line before a ball strip handed Gaskin another simple effort from 25 metres as the hosts took in an 8-6 half-time lead.

However, York came out with a fire under them after the break and it took them just three minutes to restore their advantage.

Another high hanging kick was dropped by Saints, with Owen throwing a cut-out pass to Partington, who found just enough space to squeeze into the left corner against her former side.

Rush sent it upstairs to the video referee, but he again ruled in York’s favour, Marshall then adding a stunning touchline conversion to put the visitors four points in front.

And the Valkyrie could have added another two points to the scoreboard after Zoe Harris was caught offside as she looked to field Marshall’s kick, but instead perhaps wrongly opted to take the tackle set and Komaitai was wrapped up 10 metres short on the last.

They though were not to be denied from their next attempt, with Gentles scoring the decisive try on 55 minutes.

After Hetherington had fended off a handful of would-be tackles to bring York to the 10-metre line, the winger-turned-prop forced her way over from close range beneath the posts.

Rush ruled no try, but the video referee found sufficient evidence to overturn his call, with Marshall then widening the gap to ten points.

Kelsey Gentles' try proved to be the killer blow for Saints. (Image: Craig Hawkhead Photography) Saints though did threaten a comeback, not least after the visitors had conceded a six-again and then a penalty on the 10-metre line, but a mammoth defensive effort saw Hetherington find the strength to hold Crowl up over the line.

York had the opportunity to further widen the scoreline with 13 minutes left to play after Crowl was penalised for a high tackle, but Brennan’s effort from the tee flew just wide of the left-hand post.

But a Gaskin knock-on and Darcy Stott ball spill confirmed a famous victory for York that will live long in the memory.

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

INTERCHANGES: Williams, Mottershead, Stott, Williams

TRIES: Burke (10)

GOALS: Gaskin 2/3

YORK VALKYRIE: Hetherington, Roberts, Komaitai, Parker, Partington, Rihari, Renouf, Wood, Brennan, Bell, Owen, Andrade, Pakulis.

INTERCHANGES: Marshall, Gentles, Sharp, Wilton

TRIES: Owen (15), Partington (43), Gentles (55)

GOALS: Brennan 1/2, Marshall 2/2

POINTS SEQUENCE: 4-0, 4-4, 4-6, 6-6, 8-6, 8-10, 8-12, 8-16, 8-18

HALF TIME: 8-6

YORK’S STAR WOMAN: Georgie Hetherington. She was outstanding both in attack and under the high ball and showed just why she is among the Woman of Steel nominees.

ATTENDANCE: 4,830

REFEREE: Liam Rush