Women's Super League: York follow up St Helens win with victory over Leeds
- Published
Tara Jane Stanley was at the heart of everything York did well from full-back
York City Knights followed up their victory over champions St Helens with another bruising win, beating fellow Women's Super League challengers Leeds despite Rhiannon Marshall's dismissal.
The Knights, who won 24-10, played 40 minutes with 12 players after prop Marshall's first-half sending-off.
Tara Jane Stanley was the Knights star, scoring a try, while Alisha Clayton, Tamzin Renouf and Liv Wood all crossed.
Zoe Hornby's two tries for the Rhinos were in vain as they slid to defeat.
Both teams came into this match with unbeaten records, and while the Rhinos suffer their first setback, the Knights have now racked up three on the bounce to keep themselves top of the Group One table and, notably, with confidence-boosting wins over their biggest rivals.
The home side went behind to Hornby's first score, well engineered by Georgia Roche with a drop-off play, but Stanley's solo score in at the corner showed her remarkable footwork and skill.
Both sets of forwards, in particular Grace Field for York and Leeds' Danni Anderson, enjoyed a physical battle up top, before Marshall got into a confrontation with Rhinos half-back Jasmine Earnshaw-Cudjoe and both received cards, red and yellow respectively.
Clayton's score in the second half on the back of Hollie Dodd's break belied the numerical advantage as York surged ahead.
They put Leeds under ample pressure but Lois Forsell's side showed character to pull the score back through Hornby's powerful burst through from close range.
Lindsay Anfield's Knights had the class to blow the scores out at the end, with Renouf crossing on the right after good work by Lacey Owen, and Wood went in late on to spark home celebrations.
Also in the elite Group One, Wigan Warriors got their first league win of the season against a Huddersfield Giants side that were also yet to pick up a point, winning 30-18 away from home.
The Cherry and Whites were 20-0 up at the break, largely thanks to Rebecca Greenfield's double, and despite a second-half fightback from the Giants, finished strongly to take out the two points.
Elsewhere, in WSL Group Two, Barrow Raiders marked the sad passing of assistant coach Alex Broadhead with a 40-6 win over Leigh Miners Rangers.
Raiders players and coach Amanda Wilkinson paid respects to Broadhead before the match, before recording victory on an emotional afternoon at Craven Park.
Warrington Wolves made a big statement in their trip to Featherstone Rovers, winning 48-0 against their fellow Group Two title hopefuls.
Michelle Davis grabbed a hat-trick, while Charlie Magraw scored twice to maintain the Wire's 100% start in emphatic fashion, while Fev failed to register a point on a chastening afternoon.