Valkyrie bounce back with 10-try Huddersfield hammering

Emma Kershaw scored a hat-trick as York Valkyrie racked up a crushing win over Huddersfield

York Valkyrie bounced back from successive defeats with a 10-try hammering of bottom club Huddersfield that puts them on the shoulder of Women’s Super League leaders Wigan.

After suffering their first league defeat of the season, to Leeds, and then being beaten by St Helens in last week’s Challenge Cup semi-final, Valkyrie were in no mood for more disappointment.

Emma Kershaw scored a hat-trick and there were doubles for Eboni Partington and debutant Izzy Brennan, while Carrie Roberts, Jess Sharp and Bettie Lambert also went over, with Roberts adding five conversions in a 50-12 victory.

Huddersfield, who have faced the four top teams in the league in the opening four rounds, unsurprisingly suffered a fourth straight heavy defeat, but had some consolation through tries from Gracie Hobbs and Hannah Goddard, with Frankie Townend converting both.

Barrow recorded their first-ever top-flight win by twice coming from behind to see off fellow promoted club Featherstone 22-10.

Both clubs were seeking their first league wins of the season and tries from Hannah Watt and Ashlea Prescott, one converted by Chloe Smith, edged the Yorkshire club ahead at the Northern Competitions Stadium as Michelle Larkin’s try and Jodie Litherland’s extras kept the home side within two points.

The Raiders were ahead at half-time as Beth Lindsay darted over from dummy half and Litherland again converted, and in a dominant second-half display sealed the win through Vanessa Temple’s try, with Litherland converting and adding a penalty.