Women's Challenge Cup: St Helens 17-16 York Valkyrie - Saints secure Wembley trip with late drop-goal

Faye Gaskin's drop-goal with 30 seconds remaining booked St Helens a historic trip to Wembley after a 17-16 Challenge Cup semi-final win over York.

York had levelled through a Tara Stanley penalty with eight minutes to go, but the same player then missed a drop-goal attempt of her own.

A see-saw tie in Warrington ended with Saints securing a place in the first women's final to be held at Wembley.

Tries from Tamzin Renouf, Stanley and Sinead Peach put York up at the break.

Saints had led three times in a tight encounter through tries from Shona Hoyle, Luci McColm and Tara Jones before Gaskin clinched victory in a dramatic finish.

Holders Saints have dominated this competition since its inception in 2012, winning it six times - four of them as Thatto Heath Crusaders - and are gunning for a hat-trick of triumphs.

York, who became the second Women's Super League side to turn semi-professional earlier this year, were beaten finalists in 2021 but are unbeaten in Super League so far.

With so much at stake, a nervy start was understandable and when Amy Taylor hoisted a high ball and Liv Wood failed to gather, Hoyle fell on it to give Saints an early lead.

Renouf got Valkyrie back in the running with an interception and solo try from her own 20 but Stanley's conversion miss kept Saints in front.

Stanley made amends with a trademark try, racing round the outside of the Saints defence to touch down in the corner.

Saints' ability in moving the ball wide paid off as McColm was teed up by Jodie Cunningham to restore their lead but, after Emma Kershaw's break had taken Valkyrie close to the posts, Peach dashed over from acting half-back to give the Yorkshire side the half-time lead.

The second half turned into a war of attrition but Amy Taylor's kicking again proved important as her grubber kick bounced back off a post to give Jones a simple try to put Saints back in front.

Having missed two conversions, Stanley nailed a tough penalty with eight minutes to go, which levelled the scores and seemed to have set up a golden-point finish.

That was unnecessary as Saints smartly worked a position with time ticking away and Gaskin held her nerve to kick between the posts.

Saints will face the winners of Sunday's semi-final between Leeds Rhinos and Wigan Warriors.

York head coach Lindsay Anfield told BBC Radio York:

"Last week we drew with Leeds but somehow that seems worse than today. When they perform and put everything in, you just can't fault them.

"Silly penalties, silly errors, poor decisions, off-loading when we just needed to get a bit of field position, but they gave it everything.

"We gave them field position and they took advantage of it and unfortunately we didn't take advantage of ours.

"It was the big one this year. No point in dressing it down and saying we'll try for the Grand Final - everyone wanted Wembley this year, it just wasn't to be.

"They've played under injection, three of them have been stitched up today. They're tough and they'll be better for it, it just hurts today."

St Helens' winning drop-goal kicker Faye Gaskin told BBC Radio Merseyside:

"It's crazy to think that two years ago I had that [bad knee] injury [in the Challenge Cup final] and last year I commentated with you guys at Elland Road, and today we're going to Wembley after that drop-goal. It's a dream come true and couldn't be written any better for me today.

[On practising drop goals]: "[Head coach] Matty [Smith] said this week he wanted me to practise and I was like, 'No, just trust me and if it comes to it I'll do it, just have a bit of faith.'

"It came off the back of a really slow play-the-ball so I was like, 'What's actually happening here?' and then I just looked at the sticks and thought, 'Trust yourself, you've put a lot of work into building this leg back up.' And yeah, it went over.

"My mum at the minute is in Lourdes, for her first pilgrimage, and I should have been there. I cancelled my holiday and she texted me - they were watching it over there before they went to the grotto to pray for us."

St Helens: Harris, Hook, Travis, McColm, Partington, Gaskin, A Taylor, Crowl, Jones, Stott, Hoyle, Rudge, Cunningham.

Interchanges: Williams, Whitfield, Sams, Birchall.

York: Stanley, Hyde, Renouf, Owen, Kershaw, Rihari, Gale, Field, Peach, Staveley, Andrade, Wood, Bell.

Interchanges: G Taylor, Marshall, Sanderson, Akpa.