LINDSAY Anfield could hardly contain herself as York Valkyrie defied the odds to become the first team to defend the Betfred Women’s Super League Grand Final title with an 18-8 victory at St Helens.

Saints, chasing the treble after having won both the League Leaders’ Shield and Women’s Challenge Cup earlier in the year, were the champions elect on their home turf, with a digital banner even announcing them as victors before kick-off.

But York firmly upset their party as a record crowd of 4,830 watched on at the Totally Wicked Stadium.

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Again forced to play square pegs in round holes, the visitors produced a gutsy display led by Woman of Steel nominee Georgie Hetherington and a kicking game from 17-year-old academy product Izzy Brennan and loose forward Rhiannion Marshall that their hosts just could not contain.

The Valkyrie have been without captain Sinead Peach for the entirety of the season and influential full-back Tara Jane Stanley for large parts with a ruptured ACL, making their achievement all the more remarkable.

“It’s such a good triumph over adversity story isn’t it!” exclaimed an overjoyed Anfield, still soaking in just what her side had achieved.

“To have the season that we’ve had with everything that’s gone on at the club and with the players, to come here and turn over the team that’s clearly been the best team all year, it’s outstanding from everyone on the field.”

York's celebrations included a slide towards a healthy travelling support.York's celebrations included a slide towards a healthy travelling support. (Image: Craig Hawkhead Photography) Saints drew first blood through Women’s Super League top-scorer Leah Burke in the tenth minute, the prolific winger taking a cut-out pass from Jodie Cunningham before evading the lunges of Carrie Roberts, the returning Manqualo Komaitai and Hetherington to score into the left corner.

Faye Gaskin, making the final appearance of an illustrious career, could not convert from the touchline, however it still painted an ominous sign of what was expected to come.

But in a blink of an eye, York were in front.

Full-back Beri Salihi could not control Brennan’s high hanging kick, with Lacey Owen collecting the loose ball and rounding a couple of defenders to score beneath the posts, handing the young forward the simplest of conversions.

However, the Valkyrie’s ill-discipline saw Gaskin convert two penalties in the six minutes before the break to hand the hosts a slender 8-6 lead at half time.

Lacey Owen kickstarted York's scoring with this effort beneath the posts on the quarter-hour.Lacey Owen kickstarted York's scoring with this effort beneath the posts on the quarter-hour. (Image: Craig Hawkhead Photography) York though started like a train in the second half, again capitalising on Saints’ shakiness at the back as the rain began to pour.

This time it was Marshall who saw her spiralling bomb dropped by a combination of Phoebe Hook and Erin Stott, Owen feeding Eboni Partington to dive across into the left corner against her former side.

Marshall nailed her touchline conversion attempt before Kelsey Gentles, determined to prove her worth after the birth of her daughter last year, delivered the hammer blow on 55 minutes.

After Hetherington had broken through the home defence, the winger-turned-prop blasted her way over beneath the posts from close range – her try awarded by the video referee after overturning Liam Rush’s on-field decision.

Chantelle Crowl – one of Gentles’ bridesmaids at her wedding last week – was held up as she made a quick dart for the line before Brennan missed a penalty, but time ran out on St Helens as York secured a victory likely to live long in the memory.

Anfield admits that the low expectation placed upon her side only served to fire them up.

“We had Kelsey going out and saying she’d be a thug and was going to batter them!” she laughed. “The underdog mentality, it does [spur you on].

“When you come here and see ‘Congratulations St Helens’ going across the billboards, if that’s the mentality, then it’s massive for us. It’s a massive drive and it’s motivation that’s just fantastic.

“It helped us, it really did help.

“Georgie Hetherington, Player of the Match – is that Georgie Hetherington Woman of Steel you’re talking about there!

“They have [really stood up to the challenge], Izzy Brennan kicking to that corner, every time it was perfect, on the money. She’s 17-years-old and I couldn’t ask for more from her.

“Just everybody all the way across the field, we just did the job, everyone did their role and did it to a tee.

“I’m just so proud of them.”