York Valkyrie moved to within one win of retaining the League Leaders’ Shield in the Betfred Women’s Super League after beating Warrington Wolves 58-10 at Victoria Park Stadium.
The Valkyrie fell behind after an early Shannon Stephens try but a Sinead Peach double and scores from Jess Sharp and Liv Wood put York 24-6 up at half-time.
Wood completed her brace shortly after the restart, with Carrie Roberts, Liv Whitehead, Ashleigh Hyde, Tamzin Renouf, Emma Kershaw and Elisa Akpa also crossing the whitewash for Lindsay Anfield’s side in a dominant second 40 minutes.
Akpa and Roberts added four and three conversions respectively in the absence of the rested Tara Jane Stanley.
York now know that victory at Wigan Warriors in a fortnight would see them become the first team in BWSL history to win the League Leaders’ Shield in consecutive seasons.
Charlize Magraw registered a late consolation try for Warrington, who close out their season with trips to title contenders Leeds Rhinos and St Helens.
The Wolves had made a strong start, taking a fifth-minute lead when Stephens charged under the sticks, with Michelle Davis converting.
York turned the game on its head through a quick-fire double from Peach, both scored out of dummy-half under the sticks, surpassing 100 points for the Club in the process.
On the half-hour mark, Sharp bagged her first ever try for York when racing in from 20m out after Warrington spilled the ball and, before half-time, Wood touched down after Liv Gale’s mazy break.
Wood went over for her second when racing onto Gale’s grubber shortly after the restart.
Five tries in the following dozen minutes saw the Valkyrie take complete command of the contest.
Roberts began the spree by finishing Sade Rihari’s wide pass, with Whitehead then racing clear from a right-side shift.
Renouf’s delayed pass then put Hyde away from 40m out before Renouf sprinted to the whitewash from Gale’s short pass.
Kershaw rounded off the sublime spell when palming off a defender to finish from Rihari’s brilliant long pass to the right.
Magraw took Warrington to double figures when grounding her own grubber kick but York would have the final word on the 80 minutes, hitting Peach’s dummy-half pass from close range.
York: Kershaw, Hyde, Renouf, Roberts, Hendry, Rihari, Gale, Akpa, Peach, Staveley, Andrade, Taylor, Wood
Subs (all used): Whitehead, Hetherington, Sanderson, Sharp
Tries: Peach (19’, 22’), Sharp (32’), Wood (35’, 42’), Roberts (50’), Whitehead (53’), Hyde (57’), Renouf (60’), Kershaw (63’), Akpa (76’)
Goals: Akpa (4/6), Roberts (3/5)
Warrington: Stephens, Johnston, Kerrigan, Tandy, Seddon, Davis, Magraw, Downs, Ramsden, Mullaney, Haley, Westwood, Latchford
Subs (all used): Williams, Friery, Barnett, McCartney
Tries: Stephens (5’), Magraw (69’)
Goals: Davis (1/2)
Referee: A. Giles
Geoff Pryce Player of the Match in partnership with Isaac Poad Brewing: Liv Gale
