Hunslet Hawks lost their League 1 clash to York City Knights on Sunday 32-24 in an action filled encounter.
The Hawks travelled to Bootham Crescent on the back off two wins, hoping to avenge their defeat to York in the iPro Cup back in February. After a dominant first half, the Hawks faced a second half charge by the Knights who scored 14 points in six minutes.
Hunslet once again made a good start going out to a 12-0 lead in the first quarter of an hour with tries from Jimmy Watson (7 minutes) and Lewis Reed (13 minutes). Both tries were converted by Simon Brown.
York struck back in the 23rd minute through Applegarth, Nicklas kicking the extras. They drew level on 34 minutes when Brining crossed the whitewash and Nicklas again converted.
As the first half ended James Duckworth went over, after Ayden Faal had intercepted a kick, to give Hunslet the half time lead. A conversion from Danny Ansell made the half time score 12-18.
The first ten minutes of the second half belonged to York as they gained the lead. First Nicklas scored and then converted his try to draw level once more; then Brining got his second try of the match on 54 minutes. Nicklas converted the try and then kicked a penalty three minutes later to take the score to 26-18.
York went down to 12 men as Tonks was sin-binned and soon afterwards Hunslet cut their lead to two points when Lee Mapals scored on 66 minutes. With Simon Brown off injured, Danny Ansell converted.
A confrontation with Jimmy Watson saw Dent sin-binned, but Hunslet couldn’t make the man advantage count and Nicklas scored, and converted, his second try of the match, extending Yorks’s lead to eight points.
Then another melee erupted which saw Aldous sin-binned and Jake Normington sent off. Despite ending the match with 12 men to York’s 11, Hunslet were unable to break through York’s solid defence in the remaining eight minutes.
Final score York City Knights 32-24 Hunslet Hawks
Teams:
Hunslet Hawks: Watson, Duckworth, Faal, Mvududu, Barnet, Brown, Ansell, Haley, Lee, Reed, Williams, Normington, Mackey. Subs: Carbutt, Thomas, Mapals, Bell.
York City Knights: B Dent, A Dent, E Smith, Morland, Buchanan, Presley, Nicklas, Waller, P Smith, Aldous, Tonks, Divorty, Emmett. Subs: Brining, Crowther, Applegarth, Spiers.
Referee: Warren Turley (Leigh)
Attendance: 778
