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York Valkyrie make history to retain Super League title as they down St Helens

St Helens hosted York Valkyrie as the Women’s Super League Grand Final was contested with the competition’s top two teams going at it in an epic game watched by 4,813, a record for a Women’s Grand Final.

The Red Vee had won the League Leaders Shield after losing just one game in the regular season but that sole loss did come against the Valkyrie, all the way back in April when they won 20-16 at the LNER Community Stadium.

This time, the game was played at St Helens and Matty Smith’s side had not lost since that game back in April, endeavouring on a 14-game winning streak in the league.

They had also picked up the Challenge Cup, defeating Leeds Rhinos 22-0 to win the competition for the fourth year in a row.

As such, the bookmakers were favouring St Helens to defeat the reigning champions with captain Jodie Cunningham looking to lift her second Super League title. That wouldn’t be the case as the Valkyrie came through with an 18-8 win to defend their title and prevent St Helens’ clean sweep.

St Helens cede half-time lead as Valkyrie reclaim title

St Helens York Valkyrie

Credit: Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com

It was St Helens who opened up the scoring as they took the lead through Leah Burke with the Saints winger finding plenty of space on the left wing.

It was a short-lived lead though as an error at the back from St Helens allowed Lacey Owen to pouch the ball and charge over from ten metres out to put the Valkyrie in front 6-4 after just 20 minutes.

Faye Gaskin would then add two sets of two points from the boot in the five minutes before the break as St Helens reclaimed the lead to head into the changing rooms 8-6 up.

Minutes into the second half, former Saint Eboni Partington scored her 18th of the season as she finished smartly in the corner after a mix-up under the high ball from Saints. Lacey Owen was involved once again as she scooped the ball to tee Partington up, but even more impressive was Marshall’s sideline conversion to make it 12-8.

Just ten minutes later, the Valykryie would kick on and score another with Georgie Hetherington’s brilliant break gaining them territory before Kelsey Gentles crashed over between the sticks to make it 18-8.

York would then control the final 25 minutes with relative ease as St Helens failed to get out of their own way in regards to constant errors.

The win for the Valkyrie marked the first occasion that a team had ever retained the title with York upsetting the odds to do the improbable.

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