Wakefield go third with victory at York

Betfred Super League

York (10) 14

Tries: Wood, Jones-Bishop, Williams Goals: Williams

Wakefield (12) 26

Tries: Hamlin-Uele, Pratt 2, Johnstone 2 Goals: Jowitt 2, Sinfield

Wakefield Trinity moved into the top three in the Super League table by beating York Knights 26-14 to record a third win on the bounce.

On the day Trinity made a statement of intent off the field by announcing the signing of National Rugby League legend Roger Tuivasa-Sheck on a two-year deal from next season, they impressed on the field too with an ultimately comfortable victory.

Two tries apiece from Tom Johnstone and Oli Pratt, and another from Caleb Hamlin-Uele secured a fourth win of the campaign for Daryl Powell's side.

York kept tabs on their visitors with tries from Sam Wood, Ben Jones-Bishop and Nikau Williams but their defence weakened in the latter stages as the Knights slumped to a third successive defeat.

It was a scoreline which looked emphatic enough at the hooter but was built on rather shaky foundations with a poor start from the visitors.

Indeed, if the first half was a poor advert for Super League, Wakefield more than played their part in that by coughing up three penalties in the first quarter of an hour, struggling under the high ball and gifting 75% possession to their hosts.

York have shaken better teams than Wakefield already, making an assured start to Super League with victory over reigning champions Hull KR and suffering a narrow one-point defeat by Wigan.

Yet for all the ball they had here, and despite multiple chances from inside 10 metres, they came away from the first 20 minutes with just one converted try from Wood to show for it.

It always looked a light haul and, as Wakefield slowly started to get their own game into gear, it became clear the Knights were going to pay for a lack of finishing power when they had the chance.

On 18 minutes, York's Williams dropped the ball as he went over which was to prove the first of two costly mistakes.

Wakefield's Hamlin-Uele levelled matters shortly after, charging in from two metres with a great angled dart. Max Jowitt added the extras.

A crossfield kick from Ata Hingano gathered and touched down by 37-year-old Jones-Bishop restored York's advantage at 10-6 but a poor miss from the goal attempt from Williams, his kick drifting wide from 15 metres just outside the right hand post, proved a body blow.

A Pratt try out wide for Trinity on the left flank and Jowitt adding the extras delivered a 12-10 half time lead, an advantage they never gave up.

Johnstone erred early in the second half, knocking on 10 metres out but York failed to capitalise, Paul McShane fumbling a pass with the line beckoning.

At the other end, Corey Hall went close to going in for Wakefield in the left corner only for the try to be ruled out for an elbow in touch.

Johnstone's redemption was close at hand, though, with the Trinity winger dotting down hard against the left touchline on 57 minutes.

Jowitt was sin-binned for kicking Will Dagger's hand as he tried to get the ball down and, despite Xavier Va'a being held up, York finally made the extra man count with Williams going over in the left corner.

But Wakefield were to finish strongly, first with 12 then back to a full complement.

Johnstone, less than convincing with his hands earlier, was dazzling with his feet on 75 minutes, picking a Hall offload and stepping inside Dagger to make it 22-14 with Jack Sinfield adding the two.

York started to fray – they had lost Toa Mata'afa to a nasty looking elbow injury just before Johnstone's second – and with Rowitt back on, Pratt scored his second to secure victory.

York Knights coach Mark Applegarth speaking to BBC Radio York:

"I feel like a broken record but the effort, application and spirit I will never question - but a couple of key moments in the game, we just lost a bit of discipline. When you play a team with as much quality as Wakefield that's all it takes.

"We have to make sure we learn those lessons - we don't want to be that team that is happy just running teams close, we want to turn it into points.

"We knew we had to be at our best today. Both teams went full throttle but maybe we were a little too conservative in the first half, just happy camping down there. We could have capitalised on that possession there but you have to give credit to Wakefield for their defensive resolve."

Wakefield head coach Daryl Powell speaking to BBC Radio Leeds:

"Winning the game was really important but performance wise we are striving but not achieving our optimum levels. I thought it was a courageous effort. York are a good team and have creativity and some big boys who cause you trouble.

"We had to battle our way through it. There is a real depth of courage in the team and I think we'll continue to get better. When you have the knowledge you can hang tough in difficult situations you have confidence you can get yourselves out of anything."

[On the signing of Roger Tuivasa-Sheck] "He is an outstanding signing for us. To bring him to Super League is a great bit of business. We clearly want to do special things at Wakefield and Matt [Ellis] and his family are really backing that from a financial perspective."

York: Mata'afa, Jones-Bishop, Wood, Williams, Nofoaluma, Hingano, McShane, Va'a, Balmforth, Vaughan, Dee, Griffin, Cook.

Interchanges: Dagger, Field, Martin, Sangare.

Wakefield: Jowitt, Pratt, Scott, Hall, Johnstone, Trueman, Sinfield, McMeeken, Smoothy, Rodwell, Vagana, Storton, Tevaga.

Interchanges: Faatili, Hamlin-Uele, Pitts, Smith.

Referee: Tom Grant