YORK Knights’ recent Betfred Championship resurgence came to an end with a gutting 22-18 defeat to Widnes Vikings at the LNER Community Stadium.
Andrew Henderson’s side had pulled off their own incredible comeback at Swinton Lions last weekend, but it was Widnes’ turn to overturn a 14-point half-time deficit this time around.
The Knights had been the better team for the majority, with their healthy half-time lead - gained via converted tries from Conor Fitzsimmons and Joe Brown and a Taylor Pemberton penalty – no less than they had deserved.
But a head knock to Tongan playmaker Ata Hingano left the hosts exposed, and things worsened still, with Charlie Severs appearing to dislocate his shoulder, Pemberton left hobbling, and Jimmy Keinhorst taking a head knock during Mike Butt’s game-winning try.
Winger Kieran Dixon was also on the scoresheet twice against his former side with carbon-copy tries after being left in space on the left edge on an afternoon to remember for the Vikings.
MATCH RECAP: York Knights 18-22 Widnes Vikings
Henderson made four changes to the side that won at Swinton last week, including handing young half-back Jack Potter his debut on dual registration from Newcastle Thunder.
That saw Pemberton move to full-back for the first time, whilst Brad Ward replaced the injured AJ Towse at left wing, Oli Field returned from a respiratory issue to line up in the centres and Fitzimmons was preferred to Brenden Santi at prop.
Prop Jack Teanby was also introduced off the bench for his 200th career appearance.
Both sides gave very little away in the opening sets, though Butt did well to avoid conceding the game’s first goal-line drop-out with just two minutes on the clock under pressure from a charging Keinhorst.
Hingano then came agonisingly close to injecting some life into the match as his attempted 40/20 just stayed within play, but an isolated Butt instead conceded the game’s first drop-out.
The Tongan’s grubber went out on the full at the end of the set, but Widnes failed to keep hold of the ball from their 20-metre restart, with the Knights going right to Field, but his pass to Brown was ruled to have gone forwards.
However, Widnes could not keep their hosts out for much longer.
Hingano’s high hanging kick was too hot to handle for the visitors’ defence, with Ukuma Ta’ai wrestling back possession for the Knights before Fitzsimmons crashed over from close range just to the left of the posts.
Pemberton slotted over the extras in the first of three successful attempts from the tee.
Prop Conor Fitzsimmons opened the scoring. (Image: Alan Milner/Milner Creative/York RLFC)
The Knights continued to suffocate Widnes from the restart, with Butt doing well to avoid conceding a second drop-out before Ta’ai gained back possession on the 10-metre line, but Jordan Thompson was penalised for a knock-on.
It took until the 23rd minute for the Vikings to make their first real foray into the Knights half, but that was only due to Connor Bailey’s sloppy offload, coupled with a penalty for a high tackle.
Instead, the Knights extended their lead shortly after the half-hour, with Pemberton slotting over another two points after Widnes had been penalised for a late shot and then offside.
And Henderson’s side were further in front three minutes later, with Brown just able to reel in Pemberton’s cut-out pass, twisting his way out of a couple of would-be tackles before diving across into the right corner.
Pemberton nailed a difficult touchline conversion to put the Knights 14 points to the good, with the standing ovation they received at half-time no less than they had deserved.
York struggled to regain that same momentum after the break, with Keinhorst unable to hang onto Jesse Dee’s bullet pass before Pemberton dropped Gilmore’s wind-assisted kick on the last.
The Knights survived the first real test of their try-line defence as a grateful Field pounced onto Gilmore’s grubber, but it was a sign of things to come in a second half that saw the conditions firmly in their opponents’ favour.
Widnes finally brought themselves onto the board with 50 minutes played, as after the Knights had been penalised for offside on their 10-metre line, the pressure told, with hooker Matty Fozard burrowing over from close range after some neat footwork.
Gilmore slotted over the extras with ease, and after Brown had been trapped in-goal, the prospect of a goal-line drop-out seemed to kick them further into gear.
A mistake from Max Roberts, who let the ball bounce in play before finding touch, handed the Knights back possession after Pemberton had opted to go short, but any joy was short lived, with the influential Hingano left on the turf after a head knock with 25 minutes still to play.
The Tongan would go on to play no further part in the undoubted turning point, with Hull FC loanee Charlie Severs replacing Dee in the second row, seeing the latter deputise in the halves.
With the loss of their last remaining senior half-back, it was integral that the Knights score next, with supporters breathing a sigh of relief when, after running the ball on the last, Dee found Keinhorst, who just managed to twist across into the right corner.
Pemberton could not convert, missing only his second attempt of the season.
Jimmy Keinhorst also added his name to the scoresheet before taking a head knock late on. (Image: Alan Milner/Milner Creative/York RLFC)
Jordan Thompson provided a stunning try-saving tackle to deny Matt Fleming shortly after the hour, but coupled with a penalty for offside, it proved too much for the Knights to keep out.
With defenders drawn infield, Dixon was given free rein to surge across into the left corner against his former side.
Gilmore could not convert from the touchline but made no mistake after the Knights had been penalised for a knock-on and interference at the ruck, Dixon again finding a flying finish into the left corner with 10 minutes remaining.
Just two points behind, Widnes sensed victory, despite Henderson swapping Pemberton and Brown, the winger taking up the full-back position that he had deputised in for much of last year.
The loss of Ata Hingano to a head knock was undoubtedly a turning point in Widnes' favour. (Image: Alan Milner/Milner Creative/York RLFC)
The Knights could however have wrapped up the points, should a controversial call have gone their way three minutes from time.
Having seen the ball come loose from a poor Widnes pass, Pemberton looked to race away downfield, only to see referee Mike Smaill instead rule a scrum for the visitors, believing that the ball had come off a York hand.
The Knights were left incensed by the decision, and even more so when Butt completed Widnes’ comeback with two minutes remaining, taking out Keinhorst with a blow to the face as he dived across into the right corner, Gilmore again adding the extras to seal the points.
A gutting way for Henderson’s side to see their winning streak come to an end, but next week’s break comes at a good time for the Knights, who will return to action at Dewsbury Rams in a fortnight.
YORK KNIGHTS: Pemberton, Brown, Field, Keinhorst, Ward, Hingano, Potter, Ta’ai, Jubb, Fitzsimmons, Dee, Bailey, Thompson.
INTERCHANGES: Teanby, Santi, Daley, Severs
TRIES: Fitzsimmons (16), Brown (35), Keinhorst (56)
GOALS: Pemberton 3/4
WIDNES VIKINGS: Owens, Butt, Fleming, Roberts, Dixon, Lyons, Gilmore, Kirk, Fozard, Murray, Lloyd, Wilde, Johnstone.
INTERCHANGES: Bent, Walker, Roby, Bailey
TRIES: Fozard (50), Dixon (63, 70), Butt (78)
GOALS: Gilmore 3/4
POINTS SEQUENCE: 4-0, 6-0, 8-0, 12-0, 14-0, 14-4, 18-4, 18-6, 18-10, 18-14, 18-16, 18-20, 18-22
HALF TIME: 14-0
YORK’S STAR MAN: Conor Fitzsimmons. A real workhorse performance from the prop, who also added his name to the scoresheet.
REFEREE: Mike Smaill
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