St Helens misery continues as York seal memorable win
York Knights beat St Helens 34-32 for their first victory over Saints since 1946, ending an 80-year wait in a dramatic Super League match. The result deepens St Helens’ difficult season, leaving the 10-time champions seventh and at serious risk of missing the play-offs.
The sides were level at 16-16 at half-time before York scored through Paul Vaughan and Nikau Williams despite Ata Hingano’s sin-binning, then Oli Field added his second try eight minutes from time. St Helens rallied with late tries from Harry Robertson and Jacob Douglas, but a missed conversion left them short of forcing golden-point extra time; they have now lost eight of their past 12 matches under interim coach Eamon O’Carroll.
- York secured a historic first win over St Helens in 80 years.
- Saints lost 34-32 despite a late fightback.
- St Helens’ play-off hopes are increasingly under threat.
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Super League is the top division of rugby league in England. York Knights are a newer presence at this level, while St Helens are one of the competition’s most successful clubs, with 10 titles.
The play-offs decide the league champion at the end of the season, so a team’s position in the table affects its chances of winning the title. York’s long wait to beat St Helens reflects the clubs’ very different histories, while Saints’ place in the table makes their remaining matches important to their season.