York City Knights pulled off the biggest result of the Kingstone Press League 1 season as they became the first side to beat Toronto Wolfpack in the league, in the first round of the Super 8s.
The Knights had put together a big promotional campaign for the game on social media and around the city, and reaped the rewards with a crowd of over 2,600 watching their performance of the season.
York made a blistering start to the game, and held a huge 18-0 advantage at the break following tries from Jake Butler-Fleming and double from Liam Harris.
FULL TIME!!! KNIGHTS WIN!!!!
— York City Knights (@YorkKnightsRLFC) July 30, 2017
However two quick tries from Craig Hall and Bob Beswick in the first six minutes of the second half saw Wolfpack launch an early second half assault on the Knights.
Hall got his second on 64 minutes to close the gap further to 20-16 but Connor Robinson relieved the pressure for the hosts with a try five minutes from time, to send Bootham Crescent into raptures.
What a moment for the Bootham Crescent crowd... #WeAreYork pic.twitter.com/p63k3UA9Mb
— York City Knights (@YorkKnightsRLFC) July 30, 2017
York coach James Ford told the York Press: “I was really pleased for the boys. All of them were outstanding in terms of effort and desire. When times get tough, the will to win in these boys is immense.
“They get a hard time off us here but to come out and beat an undefeated full-time side – I hope all their families and people who know them are really proud. They deserve it.
“You don’t just turn up on a Sunday and pull something off like that. It’s about how they live their lives, how they train. They make sacrifices for me here, so I’m really pleased they’ve got such a result.
Sorry for all the retweets... we are buzzing!! #UpTheKneets
— York City Knights (@YorkKnightsRLFC) July 30, 2017
“There was a 20-minute period in there when we were miles off. I could not recognise us for a small period of the game. We will work on that. We want to be better and we will work hard on them.
“Every one of them wants to improve and work hard. They’ll walk in at training, sit there and ask, ‘What have you got for us?’ It’s an absolute pleasure.”
I'd love to be in York right now. @YorkKnightsRLFC
— Andrew Voss (@AndrewVossy) July 30, 2017
Whitehaven missed the chance to go within a point of Toronto after suffering a 2-15 defeat to Barrow Raiders in a big Cumbrian derby clash.
Scoreless at half time, Paul Crook kicked Whitehaven into a two-point lead on 42 minutes but it was all downhill for the hosts from there on in.
Tries from Jarrad Stack and Ryan Fieldhouse coupled with three goals and a drop goal from Jamie Dallimore sealed the win for the Raiders who jump above Haven into second.
FULL-TIME - Whitehaven 2 - Barrow Raiders 15
— Barrow Raiders (@BarrowRaiders) July 30, 2017
Big points in the bag for Barrow Raiders after beating Whitehaven in the Super 8s opener today.
Elsewhere in the League 1 Super 8s, Workington Town enjoyed a strong second half to beat Newcastle Thunder 30-14, after being level at 14-14 at the break.
Gabriel Fell, Macauley Davies and Joe Hambley all scored two tries for the Cumbrians. Tyler Craig and Brett Waller crossed for Thunder.
WOW 😮
— Championships-RL (@RLChampionships) July 30, 2017
What a start to the League 1 #Super8s as @YorkKnightsRLFC hand @TOwolfpack their first League defeat pic.twitter.com/xOGixPFuVo
Keighley Cougars secured a 32-24 win over Doncaster in the other Super 8s game. Matthew Bailey (2), Andy Gabriel, Adam Ryder and Brendon Rawlins scored for the Cougars.
Doncaster’s scorers were Ryan Jones, Kieran Cross, Liam Welham, Sam Doherty and Nick Rawsthorne.
Hunslet are top of the League 1 Shield after a big 56-10 win over Coventry Bears at the South Leeds Stadium.
Mufaro Mvududu scored five tries for the hosts, with Luke Teasdale, Jimmy Watson, James Duckworth, George Flanagan and Daniel Wells also crossing in the 10-try win.
#Super8s
— Championships-RL (@RLChampionships) July 30, 2017
Wins for @IronmenRL, @HemelStagsRL, @LondonSkolarsRL & @HunsletRLFC to kick off the League 1 shield pic.twitter.com/M5EjqBb6Tc
London Skolars leapfrogged North Wales Crusaders into second in the Shield after a 40-12 win in Wrexham.
Eddie Mbaraga (2), Sam Nash, Louis Robinson, Jymel Coleman, Michael Sykes and Philip Lyon all scored for the Skolars, with Danny Price and Joseph Bate crossing for Crusaders.
Hemel Stags picked up only their second win of the season thanks to a 32-26 victory over Oxford, whilst on Saturday late tries from Ben Jones and Shaun Tennant saw South Wales Ironmen defeat University of Gloucestershire All Golds 28-20.
