Saints lost 34-32 to York Knights in our first ever trip to the LNER Community Stadium.
First Half
Saints took the lead three minutes in. The visitors were awarded a penalty inside our half as the Knights got caught offside chasing a kick. Jack Welsby put in a low kick down their left edge late in the tackle count, Toa Mata’afa couldn’t deal with it and Jake Davies pounced on the error to score. Jackson Hastings added the conversion from the left touchline, 0-6 we led.
York had a good chance to grab their opening points four minutes later. A penalty for an escort during a Saints kick put them in Saints territory. On the last tackle, camped on the Saints line, Tom Inman put in a low kick down the left edge which forced Welsby to concede a dropout.
Minutes later, they did have points. Another penalty pushed them into the Saints half. They used up a few tackles before moving left from under the sticks, Mata’afa breaking through a gap and finding former Saint Jon Bennison who dove over to score in the corner. Bennison’s conversion attempt bounced out off the post, 4-6 Saints led.
Five minutes later, York had the lead. Another penalty gave York field position, Cody Hunter found Oli Field in support on his outside down the middle and he broke through the line and stepped past Welsby to score. Bennison added a simple conversion, 10-6.
Just after the midpoint of the first half, Saints levelled the scores. Hastings put a high kick to the right edge on the last, York fumbled it with Shane Wright picking up the loose ball and working his way over from close range. Hastings added the conversion to give Saints the lead back, 10-12.
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Saints looked to have scored a third try four minutes later. Andy Djeukessi knocked on inside his own ten. Saints used up a few tackles before Welsby put Daniel Suluka-Fifita through a gap but it was ruled forward as he slid over the try-line.
Another Knights chance came and went. The hosts thought they had numbers down their left edge and Hunter tried to find Bennison with a cut-out pass but the ball bounced into touch, with only grass ahead of York’s opening try-scorer.
Just after the half-hour mark, the Red V did have try number three. Tristan Sailor found Harry Robertson who broke down the right edge, he found Welsby in support on his inside who was tripped, but got back to his feet to score. Hastings missed the kick, 10-16 we led.
Alex Walmsley fumbled the ball under pressure when returning the kick off and it proved costly. Denive Balmforth picked the ball up from dummy half under the sticks and the Saints defenders all went the wrong way, gifting the hosts a third try. Bennison converted to level the scores, 16-16.
Those were the final points of an end to end opening forty minutes. 16-16 we were tied at the break in York.
⏸️ All square between the Saints and the Knights in York as we go into the break.#COYS | @LPL_Airport pic.twitter.com/oVVnmVCvAJ
— St.Helens R.F.C. (@Saints1890) August 1, 2026
Second Half
The visitors had the first chance of the second half. We forced an error inside York’s half which gave us a chance to build pressure. On the last tackle, we went down the short-side on the left but Davies was held up just short of the line which forced the turnover. The following set, Robertson did well to break down the right edge and cut back inside but was tackled just short of the line.
Six minutes into the second half York were reduced to twelve men for ten minutes as Ata Hingano caught Davies with a shoulder to the head. Referee ruling there was mitigation, hence a yellow card not a red. Saints then broke as Robertson went on a run around the field. As a result, Davies broke down the left edge but a last gasp tackle from Jordan Thompson forced an error with the try-line beckoning.
The hosts then had a penalty as Wright caught Hunter late after a kick. They tried finding a gap both sides of the field, notably with Balmforth trying his luck again from close range but Saints held him up short of the line this time.
York then re-took the lead. Paul McShane picked the ball up from dummy half and found Paul Vaughan, the Saints defence were static and he worked his way over from close range to score. Bennison added the conversion, 22-16.
Two minutes later, they had another try. Saints’ kick off went out on the full, York penalty on halfway. On the last, Hunter kicked high to their left edge, Jacob Douglas was unable to claim it under pressure and Nikau Williams reacted first to pick up the loose ball and score. Bennison added another two points with the conversion, 28-16.
Saints tried to get back into it. The visitors forced some repeat sets on York’s line before Welsby tried to find Lewis Murphy with a low kick down our left edge which forced Djeukessi to concede a dropout.
The visitors then did get back into it, with what could be a try of the season contender. Welsby threw a loose pass which Robertson picked up in his own in-goal. He did brilliantly to back himself and round the York defence down our right edge and found Sailor in support. He then passed onto Welsby who raced away to score his second try of the contest. Hastings converted to make it a one-score game, 28-22.
York re-claimed their two-score lead with nine minutes to go. The hosts got a six again call in midfield for a repeat set. Jack Martin did well to get an offload away under pressure to Field who scored down the left edge. Bennison added the kick, 34-22.
Saints had a glimmer of hope with four minutes to go. Hastings put in a high kick centrally which Djeukessi allowed to bounce, Robertson won the race to the loose ball to score under the sticks. Hastings added the conversion, 34-28.
Two minutes later, Saints had another. Robertson broke from the kick off, putting the visitors in great field position. penalty followed and from that repeat set, we worked it well from left to right, with Douglas diving over in the corner. Sailor took over the kicking duties but dragged it wide, 34-32.
Saints went for a kick to the edge with their last possession but Bennison claimed it. The Red V beaten 34-32 by York at the LNER Community Stadium.
⏹️ York hold on to get a tight home win in Round 21.
A battling effort by the Saints, but the Knights take the spoils.#COYS | @LPL_Airport pic.twitter.com/A77Ol2XGSP
— St.Helens R.F.C. (@Saints1890) August 1, 2026
Match Summary
York Knights Team: Toa Mata’afa, Andy Djeukessi, Scott Galeano, Nikau Williams, Jon Bennison, Cody Hunter, Paul McShane, Jack Martin, Tom Inman, Xavier Va’a, Matty Foster, Oli Field, Ata Hingano.
Interchanges: Paul Vaughan, Jordan Thompson, Denive Balmforth, Kieran Buchanan.
18th Man: Liam Harris.
Tries: Jon Bennison (11), Oli Field (16, 71), Denive Balmforth (35), Paul Vaughan (54), Nikau Williams (56)
Conversions: Jon Bennison (5 from 6)
Sin Bin: Ata Hingano (46)
Saints Team: Jack Welsby, Lewis Murphy, Jake Davies, Tristan Sailor, Jacob Douglas, Harry Robertson, Jackson Hastings, Daniel Suluka-Fifita, Jake Burns, Alex Walmsley, Shane Wright, Jacob Host, Joe Shorrocks.
Interchanges: Alfie Sinclair, Tom Humphreys, Chris Matagi, Billy Keeley.
18th Man: Jack Campbell.
Tries: Jake Davies (3), Shane Wright (22), Jack Welsby (31, 67), Harry Robertson (76), Jacob Douglas (78)
Conversions: Jackson Hastings (4 from 5), Tristan Sailor (0 from 1)
HT: 16-16
FT: 34-32
