Jimmy Keinhorst ends with double as York Knights beat Dewsbury 54-12

The former Grand Final winner signed off with the Knights’ final eight points – including a remarkable try after the hooter – as he called time on his career with a 236th and final appearance.

York came out of the blocks firing, with debutant Joe Law breaking the deadlock after just three minutes, but the scores were soon level after Paul Turner converted Perry Whiteley’s drive to the corner.

Jordan Thompson then restored the hosts’ lead, with Joe Brown, James Cunningham and the returning AJ Towse also finding the whitewash to hand them a comfortable 24-6 lead at half time.

It was fitting that Keinhorst added his name to the scoresheet eight minutes after the break, with Brown scoring his second before Brad Ward acrobatically flew into the left corner.

But though Bailey O’Connor scored a second for the Rams in the dying minutes, Will Jubb soon replied, and it was firmly Keinhorst’s day as he ran onto Connor Bailey’s speculative cross-field chip to send supporters into pandemonium after the final hooter to sign off in style.

MATCH RECAP: York Knights 54-12 Dewsbury Rams

Mark Applegarth had hinted at changes following last weekend’s implosion at Halifax and duly lived up to the bill.

With Sam Cook likely ruled out for the remainder of the season, Nikau Williams partnered the influential Ata Hingano in the halves, seeing Joe Brown move to full-back and Towse handed a first appearance under his new head coach on the right wing.

Jubb replaced the unwell Josh Daley at hooker whilst new signings Law and Jack Martin were handed debuts at centre and prop respectively and fan favourite Bailey Antrobus made his long-awaited return after an ACL injury that has left him sidelined for the last year.

York started like a train, and had a try disallowed before breaking the deadlock with just three minutes on the clock.

Having been awarded a scrum on the 10-metre line, Jubb opted to go right, with Law ghosting through a gaping hole in the Rams defence to score on his debut.

Joe Law opened the scoring for the Knights. (Image: Craig Hawkhead Photography)

Hingano added the extras, but it wasn’t long before Dewsbury pulled level.

Whiteley was released into space on the left wing, awakening a pocket of visiting fans as he rode the tackles of Towse, Law and Williams to crash over into the corner before Paul Turner successfully converted.

But the Knights were back in front on 12 minutes, with Thompson taking advantage of another huge gap in Dewsbury’s defence to score to the right of the posts.

Hingano missed with his conversion, skewing the ball just wide of the left-hand post in what became a running theme of his first-half attempts.

Towse came close to scoring York’s fourth after Law’s fast hands had opened up space, but though he was brought down just outside the 20-metre line, it didn’t take long for them to register more points to the scoreboard.

Dewsbury could not live with the Knights’ ferocious pace, with Brown finding a gap in their defence before selling O’Connor an outrageous dummy and crashing over from 30 metres out.

The visitors though did have their moments, not least after a high tackle on Marcus Walker propelled them inside the 20-metre line, but Ward was able to comfortably claim the kick on the last.

However, normal service resumed just after the half-hour, as after the Rams had strayed offside one too many times, Brenden Santi was felled narrowly short before Cunningham backed himself from dummy half to crash over from close range next to the posts to score his first try of the season.

Hingano added another two points but could not convert again three minutes later after some impressive footwork from Law released Towse, who cut in between two defenders to touch down.

Rapturous applause at half time was no less than the Knights had deserved for their first-half endeavours in the scorching sunshine.

York looked to fly out of the traps again after the interval, but saw Ward brought down narrowly short on the last tackle looking to capitalise on another Rams offside call.

However, just eight minutes into the half they were further ahead, with one of the loudest cheers of the afternoon greeting Keinhorst, who found himself in the right place to latch onto Ward’s stunning flicked pass to score in the left corner.

Hingano converted with ease, also nailing his next attempt after Brown’s dancing feet saw him sidestep a couple of would-be tackles to score his second of the afternoon to the left of the posts.

Antrobus made his long-awaited return from injury to rapturous applause with 55 minutes on the clock but was withdrawn a little over 10 minutes later.

The tries though continued to flow for York, with Hingano combining with Brown and Ward, the latter providing a flying finish into the left corner.

Hingano scored a stunner from the touchline to hand the Knights a 42-6 lead.

Dewsbury did hit back again with six minutes remaining, with the hosts’ defence left wanting as O’Connor drove forward on the left wing, taking three defenders with him as he crashed over into the corner.

Turner added another two points from the tee but it proved to be a mere consolation as the Knights widened the scoreline inside the dying minutes.

After a Dewsbury penalty had failed to find touch, Jubb burrowed over from acting half beneath the sticks, with Keinhorst taking over kicking duties with a simple attempt into the South Stand.

But there was one more try in the script for the former Leeds Rhinos and Hull KR centre, and after he had been tackled high on the hooter, the ball went right to Bailey, who sent a speculative cross-field chip back towards the left wing.

There was pandemonium as Keinhorst scored his second after the final hooter. (Image: Craig Hawkhead Photography)

Despite the Rams seemingly having it under control, the ball went to ground, with Keinhorst picking it up and sidestepping a final tackle to score underneath the posts.

With the crowd on their feet in disbelief, he then added the final conversion himself to round off a memorable career and a 54-12 victory for the Knights.

YORK KNIGHTS: Brown, Ward, Keinhorst, Law, Towse, Hingano, Williams, Michael, Jubb, Martin, Bailey, Gannon, Thompson.

INTERCHANGES: Teanby, Santi, Cunningham, Antrobus

TRIES: Law (3), Thompson (12), Brown (19, 53), Cunningham (32), Towse (37), Keinhorst (48, 80), Ward (70), Jubb (77)

GOALS: Hingano 5/8, Keinhorst 2/2

DEWSBURY RAMS: O’Connor, Carr, Graham, Walker, Whiteley, Turner, Hookem, Morris, Butterworth, Silk, Garside, Summers, Dawson.

INTERCHANGES: Dixon, Briggs, Mearns, Tomlinson

TRIES: Whiteley (6), O’Connor (74)

GOALS: Turner 2/2

POINTS SEQUENCE: 4-0, 6-0, 6-4, 6-6, 10-6, 14-6, 18-6, 20-6, 24-6, 28-6, 30-6, 34-6. 36-6, 40-6, 42-6, 42-10, 42-12, 46-12, 48-12, 52-12, 54-12

HALF TIME: 24-6

YORK’S STAR MAN: Jimmy Keinhorst. It only feels fitting to give the Man of the Match to the centre on a hugely emotional day, with two tries and two goals seeing him sign off in style.

REFEREE: Warren Turley