Sheffield Eagles secure place at Wembley Stadium in AB Sundecks 1895 Cup Final

Matty Marsh was the only change made from last weekend’s loss, as he started at full back for Mark Aston’s side, after missing last week’s defeat in the league to Wakefield Trinity.

Cory Aston also started in the halves once again, as he made his 200th career appearance.

It was a dream start from Sheffield as they scored three times in the opening fourteen minutes in North Yorkshire.

In only the second minute, the ball found itself played towards the left wing and Matty Dawson-Jones managed to get the ball down in the corner to hand Sheffield an early lead.

After being awarded a couple of penalties within the coming minutes, the visitors scored their second try of the afternoon in the seventh minute as Aston’s grubber kick through was touched down by James Glover, who scored his ninth try of the season in all competitions against his former side.

Marsh was next to score against his former side seven minutes later after the full back managed to get the ball down under the posts after Anthony Thackeray’s neat kick through over the top of the York defence.

Andrew Henderson’s side managed to claw their way back into the contest as they scored twice inside the final eighteen minutes of the first period. Ata Hingano made a break through centre-field, before playing the ball inside to Charlie Severs to score, before Tom Lineham scored out wide after the ball managed to stay in play following a kick through on the last tackle through Liam Harris.

Sheffield scored nine minutes into the second half to put a bit more breathing space back between the two sides as Glover’s inside ball following a break down the left channel was finished off by Marsh for his second try of the afternoon.

But the hosts responded instantly, as Jack Teanby spotted a loose ball underneath the posts as he was able to close the gap for the hosts once again.

Late on, some poor discipline from the hosts allowed Aston to convert three easy penalties from in front to hand Sheffield Eagles an extra crucial six points to take the score to 18-28 to secure an emphatic win on the road.

The Eagles will now take on Wakefield Trinity in the AB Sundecks 1895 Cup Final at Wembley Stadium on Saturday 8th June, but their immediate attentions now return to Betfred Championship action as they face a trip to Bartercard Odsal Stadium this coming Sunday to face Bradford Bulls.

• York Knights: Dagger, Brown, Keinhost, Lineham, Towse, Hingano, Harris, Tai’ai, Daley, Santi, Severs, Bailey, Thompson
• Interchanges: Fitzsimmons, Teanby, Michael, Pemberton
• 18th Man: Jubb
• Tries: Severs (22’) Lineham (38’), Teanby (55’)
• Conversions: Dagger (3/3)
• Sheffield Eagles: Marsh, Jones-Bishop, Welham, Glover, Dawson-Jones, Aston, Thackeray, Battye, Halafihi, Dickinson, Foster, J.Farrell, Gwaze
• Interchanges: Wood, Murphy, Roberts, Sene-Lefao
• 18th Man: Hansen
• Tries: Dawson-Jones (2’), Glover (7’), Marsh (14’, 49’)
• Conversions: Aston (6/7)
• Referee: S.Mikalauskas