Sheffield Eagles 40 York City Knights 10: Sending off fails to deny Eagles triumph

EVEN down to 12 men for the final 32 minutes Sheffield Eagles were too strong for York as they claimed their first Cup win.

Eagles' forward Alex Rowe was shown a red card on 48 minutes for leading with his elbow as he went into a tackle.

That only seemed to make the Eagles work harder as helped by some poor defending by York they scored five further tries – with prop Mitch Stringer competing a hat-trick.

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Sheffield gave a debut to new signing Samoan international winger Misi Taulapapa and he came close a couple of times to a touchdown but it was the forwards who muscled York out of the game.

Jonny Woodcock set up the first two Eagles tries for Stringer and Dane McDonald but could not add the conversions.

York narrowed the lead to two points with a try from Wayne Reitte, converted by Lee Waterman, to make it 8-6.

After the break stand-off Brendon Lindsay's pass sent in centre Tangi Ropati diving in near the corner flag.

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Rowe's sending off gave York the chance to get back into the game but poor defending gifted the Eagles tries from Joe Hirst and Stringer with Woodcock kicking his first goal of the game.

The Eagles did not let their grip loosen as hooker Craig Cook scored tries either side of Stringer's hat-trick touchdown and Woodcock brought his goal tally to four.

York had to settle for a late try from Waterman.

Sheffield: Woodcock, Thackeray, Mossop, Ropati, Taulapapa; Lindsay, McDonald; Howieson, Cook, Stringer, Green, Exton, Hirst. Substitutes: Groom, Barlow, Cocroran, Rowe.

York: Radcliffe; Wayne Reittie, Mitchell, Waterman, Wilson; Thorman, Bromilow; Freer, McLocklan, Benson, Ross, Hill, Blakeway. Substitutes: Walker, Clough, Barrow, Stamp.

Referee: R Hicks (Oldham).