York Knights 58-8 Hunslet RLFC
A lacklustre second half in the heat at the LNER Community Stadium yesterday (11 May 2025) saw Hunslet concede their biggest score of the season against a full-on York Knights outfit.
Missed tackles and mistakes with the ball cost the Parksiders, who struggled to keep up with one of the Championship’s more impressive teams.
Hunslet started the game well, but a high kick into the sun on 5 minutes was lost by the Hunslet defence and York had the ball in an attacking position. A minute later defenders shot out of the line but quick passing sent Ben Jones-Bishop over in the right corner for York. Harris converting 6-0.
Another attack and this time a missed pass fooled Hunslet and Jones-Bishop scored his second. It looked ominous. 10-0 after only 9 minutes.
Hunslet did hit back though after York had knocked-on. Gaskell looked to be scoring under the posts as the ball was ripped out, but from the resulting penalty Hunslet shipped it quickly to the right for Coby Nichol to score. 10-4 on 13 minutes.
The Parksiders now got into the game and Gaskell’s kicking was causing problems. A long ball to Nichol nearly sent the winger in at the corner but the pass was just out of reach.
On 22 minutes York got the call on a 50/50 knock-on and former Hunslet man Joe Law showed his skill to score. Harris converting 16-4
Greg Eden was trying to open York up, but too often the ball went to ground, and on 26 minutes Lalotoa Mata’afa wrested his way through poor defence. 22-4
Still, a score before half time and Hunslet may have some hope, and on 39 minutes Gilmore and Scurr combined to send Lee Gaskell over. Unfortunately, the conversion was unsuccessful and at the break York led 22-8.
Hunslet needed to start the second half well, and three penalties put them in a good position. But a sloppy play of the ball let York off the hook and that seemed to be that.
Ben Jones-Bishop completed a hat trick on 48 minutes from a scrum, then 4 minutes later Scott Galeano went over after Hunslet tried to cut the pass out. 30-8 and the rout was beginning.
On 57 minutes Liam Harris cut through weak defence to score and convert his own try, then on 61 minutes Galeano got a second after Joe Law had released a good pass. 42-8
Mata’afa got a second on 64 minutes and York pinned Hunslet on their own line.
Short dropouts were not working as more pressure from the Knights came. Ukuma Taai scored from close range before on 77 minutes Ben Jones-Bishop coasted through Hunslet’s defence for his fourth try. 58-8
It was lucky that Liam Harris only converted 7/11 as the score could have been over 60.
Most Hunslet fans knew there would be the odd big score this season, and York are a quality side. But after this second half performance Hunslet fans will want to see a big improvement a week on Friday at Sheffield Eagles.
It is a learning curve for The Parksiders and for Head Coach Dean Muir. Muir’s coaching staff will be working hard to get the best out of their side in the next few weeks.
Lee Gaskell again looked dangerous, and Kobe Rugless was busy for Hunslet, but defences will need to be tightened if Hunslet want to stay in the Championship in 2026.
Hunslet RLFC: Eden, Nichol, Welham, Jowitt, Scurr, Hanneghan, Gaskell, Fletcher, Berry, Foster, Gilmore, Larroyer, Rugless. Interchanges: Hallas, Syme, O’Hanlon, Webb-Campbell. 18th player: Whitmore.
York Knights: Mata’afa, Jones-Bishop, Buchanan, Law, Galeano, McShane, Harris, Martin, Cook, Taai, Dee, Field, Thompson. Interchanges: O’Neill, Santi, Gannon, Hudson. 18th player Reynolds.
Main Photo: Lachy Hanneghan tries to unpick York’s defence. Credit: Craig Irvine
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