Sheffield Eagles book place in Betfred Challenge Cup 5th round

In a first-half which saw five cards handed out by referee Liam Rush, it was the Knights who edged ahead early on through Brendan Santi’s finish, before tries from Matty Marsh and Matty-Dawson-Jones put the Eagles into a 6-10 lead after sin-bins were handed to Knight’s Jordan Thompson and Jesse Dee.

York went back in front through Jimmy Keinhorst’s finish on the left edge, before Will Dagger was shown a straight red card for a headbutt, which allowed the Eagles to capitalise as Joel Farrell went over to score from dummy-half.

Two early tries in the second half through Eddie Battye and Ben Jones-Bishop edged Sheffield Eagles into an even further lead against the twelve men, but York edged their way back into the game late on through Dee’s finish with eleven minutes to go.

Victory was secured in the dying minutes for the Eagles as Farrell’s short-ball was met by Anthony Thackeray, as the returning half-back turned a handful of York defenders before edging his way over to score.

Mark Aston’s side headed into this fixture with seven changes made in the starting thirteen, which saw Dawson-Jones earn his 200th career appearance on the wing.

Six minutes into the contest, Santi spotted a gap to the left-of-the-sticks as he crashed over, meeting Liam Harris’ pass which saw him hand the Knights an early lead.

Dagger added the extras with the boot, the first of two successful conversions for him on Sunday afternoon.

It didn’t take long for the Eagles to respond as Cory Aston played in Marsh for a score in the left corner against his former side, before Dawson-Jones went over in the left corner minutes later to put Sheffield ahead in North Yorkshire after good work by James Glover.

Aston added the extras with the boot following Dawson-Jones’ try, edging Sheffield into a 6-10 lead.

As the clock approached the half-hour mark, Kris Welham was sent to the sin-bin after holding down a York man in the tackle, which York used to their advantage as they edged back in front as Keinhorst met Ritchie Myler’s pass and powered his way past three Eagles defenders to score.

The game soon turned on its head as the hosts were reduced to twelve men following Dagger’s sending-off after a headbutt, before Thompson returned to the sin-bin moments later following another late hit on a Sheffield man.

Joel Farrell and the Eagles capitalised on the two-man advantage, as the second-rower made a scoot from dummy half and he couldn’t be stopped by four York men, as he spun his way over to score, allowing Aston to convert an easy two points from in front of the sticks as Sheffield Eagles headed into the sheds leading 12-16 at the break.

York enjoyed early pressure on the Eagles try line in the opening minutes into the second half as they forced back-to-back goal line drop outs following smart play by both Harris and Myler, but the Sheffield defence stood strong as they kept out the Knights.

Only two minutes after returning to the field from the interchange bench, Battye forced his way over for an easy score under the sticks for the Eagles, before smart play on the right edge saw Jones-Bishop stroll in for a try against the club he joined the Eagles from ahead of the 2022 campaign.

York closed the gap between the two sides with eleven minutes to go as Myler’s pass to the right was met by Dee who spotted a gap and went over to score, but Harris was unable to add the extras with the boot, having taken over kicking duties from Dagger.

But just like last week at Midlands Hurricanes, it was a late Sheffield Eagles try which rounded off the win and booked the club’s spot in the fifth round of the competition. Joel Farrell once again ran at the York defence from dummy-half, before playing the ball back inside to teammate Anthony Thackeray, who turned and got the ball down to score on his return to action.

Sheffield ran out as winners, securing a 16-32 victory at the LNER Community Stadium, which sees them play Swinton Lions away from home in the 5th Round of the competition on the weekend of 9th/10th March 2024.

York: Dagger, Brown, Dee, Keinhorst, Towse, Myler, Harris, Santi, Daley, Fitzsimmons, Field, Bailey, Thompson

Subs: Ta’ai, Williams, Teanby, Reynolds

18th Man: Jubb

Tries: Santi (6’), Keinhorst (30’), Dee (69’)

Goals: Dagger (2/2), Harris (0/1)

Sin-bin: Thompson (15’, 38’), Dee (17’)

Red card: Dagger (36’)

Sheffield: Marsh, Jones-Bishop, Welham, Glover, Dawson-Jones, Aston, Thackeray, Battye, Halafihi, Dickinson, Foster, J. Farrell, Gwaze

Subs: Clark, Murphy, Liu, Roberts

18th Man: Hansen

Tries: Marsh (11’), Dawson-Jones (16’), J. Farrell (38’), Battye (51’), Jones-Bishop (54’), Thackeray (79’)

Goals: Aston (4/6)

Sin-bin: Welham (30’)