Whitehaven 26 York City Knights 16
Whitehaven: Miller, Calvert, Parker, Taylor, Burns, Roper, Crook, Shackley, Tilley, Riley, McAvoy, D Thompson, Aiye. Subs (all used): Newton, Forster, Brown, Holland.
Tries: Miller 5, 28; Aiye 66; Forster 76.
Conversions: Crook 5, 28, 66, 76.
Penalty: Crook 18.
Sent off: none.
Sin-binned: none.
Knights: Dent 6, Morrison 7, Haynes 6, Swift 7, Foggin-Johnston 7, C Robinson 6, Presley 6, Dixon 7, Ellis 6, Siddons 7, Butler-Fleming 7, Thompson 7, Spears 7. Subs (all used): Moran 6, H Tyson-Wilson 6, Jubb 6, Porter 8.
Tries: Dent 15; Presley 43; Foggin-Johnston 58.
Conversions: C Robinson 15.
Penalty: C Robinson 23.
Sent off: none.
Sin-binned: none.
Man of the match: Joe Porter – was used up top and capped a very solid show off the bench with two storming runs that set the field positon for both of York’s two second-half tries.
Referee: Tom Crashley (Wakefield) – both sets of fans had cause for complaint but he tried to let the game flow.
Penalty count: 6-5
Half-time: 14-8
Weather: the match began under horrible showers and horrible wind. When the rain relented, it was still wet and heavy.
Attendance: 605
Moment of the match: either of Joe Porter’s two runs that set the field position for York’s two second-half tries.
Gaffe of the match: When Steve Roper kicked goalwards, Connor Robinson – the half-back now filling in at full-back – tried to swipe the ball dead but missed and Dion Aiye slid in to score. York had led 16-14 but now trailed 20-16.
Gamebreaker: York were still in it at 20-16 down with 14 minutes left, but when a fortunate home scrum was followed by a fortunate penalty, Whitehaven were able to put the pressure on and they benefited as player-coach Carl Forster touched down (even if looked like he’d knocked on) a loose ball from a kick to kill the game with four minutes left.
Match rating: the two teams tried hard to give the spectators a spectacle but the heavy showers and heavy going did not make for good expansive rugby, and, while this was a dress rehearsal for the impending play-off semi-final between the sides, it is hard to tell how much of an indicator it will be, with York fielding a weakened side and the conditions having an effect.
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