Wakefield Trinity halt three-game losing streak with dogged win over York Knights to keep top four hopes alive

Trin had been in a strong position to finish in Super League’s top two at the start of August but a trio of defeats against fellow Grand Final hopefuls Leeds Rhinos, St Helens and Wigan Warriors means they are now in a fight with Warrington Wolves, Leigh Leopards and Hull KR to claim a home tie in the first play-off eliminator round in September.

But a double from Lachlan Walmsley plus tries from Corey Hall, Jayden Myers and Max Jowitt helped Trin to an important 28-12 win which now leaves them in fourth place, two points behind Warrington, and two points ahead of Leigh - both of whom Wakefield meet in their final two games of the season.

They didn’t have it all their own way though here with the game still very much in the balance – at 12-12 – with 20 minutes to go.

Wakefield started the brightest under dark skies with Jack Sinfield, watched on by his dad Sir Kevin the stands, putting Jon Bennison under pressure with a kick allowing Cam Scott to tackle the winger and force a goal-line drop-out, leading Sinfield to grubber kick for Hall who touched down for the game’s first try.

Mike McMeeken then forced another goal-line drop-out before Caleb Hamlin-Uele went close on the last.

Trin were executing a good kicking game in difficult conditions to pin the visitors into corners in what was turning into a very patient display.

But York, who were struggling to make metres in the very early stages, got back into the contest in the 15th minute when Cody Hunter kicked high to the corner with Ben Jones-Bishop grabbing his moment to turned it into four points.

The visitors, however, kicked themselves in the foot when Thomas Doyle kicked the ball out on the full, with Trin punishing the mistake straightaway.

And what a lovely try it was as Jake Trueman, Jowitt and Hall combined for Walmsley to go over for his sixth Super League try of the season.

Trin were edging the second half contest and seemed to have got away from their opponents when Mike McMeeken found Tyson Smoothy to go over by the posts, but the video ref intervened to disallow it after Jowitt was adjudged to have obstructed in the build-up.

It turned out to be a double whammy for Trin. Jowitt initially made up for that indiscretion with the help of Hall and Walmsley to deny the Knights on the line. But in the very next play, York got right back into the game with Xavier Va’a barging over from close range despite four Wakey players trying to stop him to level proceedings at 10-10.

A Jowitt penalty momentarily put the home side 12-10 up, but that was cancelled out by a Bennison kick just three minutes later.

In what was turning out to be an evenly-poised arm wrestle, Trin scored three late tries to secure a vital victory.

Myers crossed in the corner after being found by a looping McMeeken pass before Jowitt pounced on a costly mistake from Bennison.

Walmsley got his second late on to seal the win and mathematically confirm their spot in the play-offs, while one win from their final two games will confirm a home game in the first elimination round.

Wakefield: Jowitt, Myers, Scott, Hall, Walmsley, Sinfield, Trueman, McMeeken, Rodwell, Smith, Hamlin-Uele, Lipowicz, Pitts

Interchanges: Lino, Smoothy, Tevaga, Faatili

Tries: Hall, Walmsley (2), Myers Jowitt

Conversions: Jowitt (3)

Penalties: Jowitt

York: Mataafa, Jones-Bishop, Galeano, Wood, Bennison, Hunter, Harris, Martin, McShane, Vaughan, Dee, Field, Balmforth

Interchanges: Doyle, Va’a, Thompson, Hingano

Tries: Jones-Bishop, Va’a

Conversions: Bennison

Penalties: Bennison