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York Knights fell short in a second-half fightback against Sheffield Eagles, suffering a 18-10 defeat at the LNER Community Stadium.
York trailed 12-0 at half-time after an early opener from Kris Welham and Anthony Thackeray’s dummy on the half-hour.
Brad Ward got the Knights back in the contest shortly after the restart before Ata Hingano’s late effort saw the hosts get within two points with seven minutes remaining.
Mark Applegarth’s side pushed a late winner but Sheffield found a decisive third try shortly before the final hooter through Joel Farrell to seal the two points.
Sheffield, who remain second in the Betfred Championship, got off to the brighter start, scoring after seven minutes through Welham. The former Hull KR man picked out a short kick down the right edge which Ben Jones-Bishop gathered before returning for Welham to touch down.
Cory Aston added the extras, his first of three goals from as many attempts.
The Eagles were denied a second try after a quarter of an hour when James Glover tipped on a cross-field kick to Matty Dawson-Jones who passed forward before Joel Farrell grounded.
York worked themselves back into the contest and thought they had found an equalising score when Liam Harris dummied his way through close to the Sheffield tryline but the referee spotted an obstruction in the build-up.
The visitors ensured a 12-0 lead at the break when veteran half-back Thackeray ghosted his way between a couple of York defenders on the Knights tryline.
The Knights raced out of the blocks in the second half however, cutting the deficit within four minutes of the restart.
After the ball went through the hands of halves Liam Harris and Ata Hingano, Will Dagger threw a sublime cut-out pass for Ward to dive over from in the left corner. Dagger missed the resultant conversion.
York almost scored a second try on the hour mark when an offload from Hingano fell into the path of Ronan Michael, who was unable to dot down from close range.
The Sheffield lead was eventually cut down to just two points when Hingano produced a wonderful solo by stepping off his left foot to dive over the whitewash, with Dagger landing the conversion.
The home side battled hard for a late winner but the Eagles wrapped up their victory in the final minute as Joel Farrell darted over from a dummy-half drive.
York: Dagger, Brown, Williams, Keinhorst, Ward, Harris, Hingano, Santi, Jubb, Thompson, Field, Bailey, Gannon
Subs (all used): Fitzsimmons, Teanby, Michael, Daley
18th Player: Cook
Tries: Ward (44’), Hingano (73’)
Goals: Dagger (1/2)
Sheffield: Marsh, Jones-Bishop, Welham, Glover, Dawson-Jones, Aston, Thackeray, Battye, Halafihi, Clark, Foster, J. Farrell, Hodgson
Subs (all used): Dickinson, Bower, Gwaze, Wood
18th Player: Liu
Tries: Welham (7’), Thackeray (32’), J. Farrell (80’)
Goals: Aston (3/3)
