York Knights move into play-off places with 12-6 win at Widnes Vikings

With just three points separating the teams in the race for the top six, an attritional affair was to be expected, but it was the Knights who found a way to win ugly in atrocious conditions at the DCBL Stadium.

Torrential rain combined with the artificial surface saw handling errors and penalties aplenty, with the majority of the Knights’ points having come from the boot of Nikau Williams.

However, their victory has not come without cost, with an Ata Hingano tackle put on report by referee Liam Rush, and Jacob Gannon sent off on 65 minutes after a melee caused by his high tackle on Mike Butt.

Nonetheless, their triumph, coupled with defeats for fellow top six hopefuls Sheffield Eagles and Featherstone Rovers, has seen the Knights move into fifth ahead of their trip to League Leaders’ Shield winners Wakefield Trinity next Sunday.

MATCH RECAP: Widnes Vikings 6-12 York Knights 

Mark Applegarth made just one change from last weekend’s win at Whitehaven, handing Bailey Antrobus his first start since last July at prop in place of Ronan Michael, who dropped to the bench.

Australian centre Jesse Dee, who had been named in their preliminary squad for the first time since rupturing his bicep in June, was not risked, instead taking on the role of waterboy.

Both sides were evenly matched in the opening exchanges, with the damp weather certainly playing its part.

York offered up an early opportunity after being penalised for offside with just 30 seconds on the clock, but though Brad Ward hesitated under Joe Lyons’ testing kick, Widnes could not capitalise.

A tough tackle on Antrobus then saw the slippery ball come loose from his grasp, but though a neat left-side shift threatened to send Ryan Ince across into the corner, AJ Towse was able to intercept, racing 70 metres before being brought to ground.

Will Jubb then knocked-on 10 metres from the line, but Widnes were not so lucky two minutes later.

Having won a penalty for a tackle on Connor Bailey on the 10-metre line, the Knights wasted no time in calling for the tee, with Williams slotting over the game’s opening two points with nine minutes on the clock.

They looked to nudge further in front from the restart after a neat left-side shift, but Joe Law was brought down 15 metres short on the last tackle.

The Wakefield loanee knocked-on from another opportunity three minutes later but did add his name to the scoresheet on the quarter-hour, in part thanks to a stroke of fortune.

Hingano’s attempted 40/20 outfoxed Jack Owens, bouncing off the turf and into the hands of Ward, who found the onrushing centre to touch down beneath the posts and hand Williams the simplest of conversions.

Joe Law scored the Knights' only try on the quarter-hour. (Image: Craig Hawkhead Photography)

Antrobus was caught high from the restart as Widnes’ ill-discipline continued, but it was another opportunity missed for Applegarth’s side as Hingano’s attempted offload in the tackle went to ground.

The Vikings lost hooker Jordan Johnstone to a knee injury midway through the half as he looked to charge down Hingano’s kick, and it wasn’t long until they fell further behind.

Butt could not take in Hingano’s high hanging kick, but with Rush deeming that the Knights had received no advantage, awarded a scrum, quickly followed by a penalty after Matty Fozard had jumped prematurely out of the line.

Williams again wasted no time in slotting over another two points.

Consecutive handling errors presented Widnes with an opportunity to bring themselves back into the match, and with York willing to take no chances from Tom Gilmore’s grubber, they conceded the game’s first drop-out eight minutes before the break.

They were handed a real let-off when Max Roberts saw the ball slip from his grasp with the tryline gaping, and the hosts saw another chance pass them by after consecutive Jack Teanby handling errors, with Ryan Ince bundled into touch 30 metres from the line.

Widnes though finished the half strongly, with Oli Field conceding a second drop-out before Towse won the race to bat away Owen’s chip towards the right corner, but the half time hooter spared York’s blushes and preserved their 10-0 lead.

Applegarth’s side came out strongly after the break, but though Teanby and Brenden Santi looked to exploit a gap, the former saw the ball slip from his grasp.

A knock-on, and then a penalty, then handed the Knights another opportunity, however, Josh Daley could find no way through some staunch home defence as he was stopped five metres short on the powerplay.

Widnes were though rewarded for their defensive efforts in the 53rd minute, taking advantage after a knock-on and two penalties had propelled them up field.

York looked to have done enough to keep them out, but with Owens trying his luck with a grubber to the right corner, Butt did just enough to beat Towse to ground the ball.

Gilmore skewed his touchline conversion attempt across the posts, but with the 2,000 strong home support bursting into full voice, there was a palpable change in atmosphere.

Hingano was perhaps lucky to have escaped immediate punishment for a shoulder charge, and with Widnes clearly aggrieved after losing possession from the resultant penalty, the Knights crucially widened their advantage from the tee.

Jack Martin was caught high on the 30-metre line, with Williams again on target.

Jacob Gannon was sent off for a high tackle and his part in the resultant fracas. (Image: Craig Hawkhead Photography)

Back-to-back 40/20 attempts almost paid off for Hingano against a tiring home defence before things came to a head with 15 minutes left to play.

Gannon caught Butt high on the 30-metre line, and with both sets of players coming together in the aftermath, the Leigh Leopards loanee was shown a straight red card for his part, leaving the Knights to play out the remainder with 12 men.

The impressive Joe Brown threw his body behind a Gilmore grubber, but York seemed determined to make the closing stages harder for themselves.

Antrobus’ swinging arm coughed up yet another penalty before Field knocked-on, and with Widnes perhaps surprisingly opting to take the two points on offer, Gilmore brought them back within six.

With momentum in their favour, the Vikings looked for a repeat of their victory at the LNER Community Stadium earlier this season, but York held firm.

Owens knocked-on after Butt had breezed past Law’s attempted tackle before they were caught offside from Gilmore’s chip as the points slipped from their grasp.

Hingano missed a drop-goal attempt in the dying seconds but with Gilmore’s last-ditch attempt falling kindly for Field, a thrilling victory was assured for the Knights.

WIDNES VIKINGS: Owens, Butt, Bardsley-Rowe, Fleming, Ince, Lyons, Gilmore, Bent, Johnstone, Murray, Lloyd, Grady, Lannon.

INTERCHANGES: Fozard, Brooks, Kirk, Roberts

TRIES: Butt (53)

GOALS: Gilmore 1/2

YORK KNIGHTS: Brown, Towse, Field, Law, Ward, Williams, Hingano, Antrobus, Jubb, Martin, Bailey, Gannon, Cunningham.

INTERCHANGES: Teanby, Santi, Michael, Daley.

TRIES: Law (15)

GOALS: Williams 4/4

RED CARD: Gannon (high tackle/punch, 65)

POINTS SEQUENCE: 0-2, 0-6, 0-8, 0-10, 4-10, 4-12, 6-12

HALF TIME: 0-10

YORK’S STAR MAN: Joe Brown. The stand-in full-back did not put a foot wrong in the testing conditions, negating the threat of Jack Owens and Tom Gilmore with ease.

ATTENDANCE: 2663

REFEREE: Liam Rush