The tie of the fourth round of the Challenge Cup pitched the London Broncos against the York City Knights as to of the top sides in the Championship did battle for a place in the fifth round.
The Broncos had started the season with three straight wins whereas the Knights are pointless after two run outs losing to Leigh and Toulouse.
The Broncos were the favourites with the bookies but York’s season needed to start somewhere, and why not against last seasons relegated side.
London didn’t hang about in registering the first points of the afternoon when Hindmarsh scored down the right hand side, under a pile of York players, after a Rhys Curran line break. The kick was missed.
The second try came on twelve minutes as Egodo exploited a big overlap down the left wing for a walk-in try. Aston was again off target with the boot, London doing it in fours.
It was 12-0 after sixteen minutes when Curran found a weakness in the Knights defence to crash over the top of the tackler and go in for the third try of the afternoon, but once again Aston missed his third conversion attempt.
With a couple of first half minutes remaining James Green took a ball from Chris Brining and was able to drive through the London defence for an important try. Connor Robinson added the conversion to half the arrears and get the Knights right back in the game.
Corey Aston missed an attempted drop goal on the half time hooter, just six between the teams at the interval.
Jimmy Keinhorst went close for York in the opening moments of the second half and three plays later Jordan Baldwinson took an offload and forced the ball onto the line. Robinson made no mistake with his conversion to level the scores.
A Robinson 4-20 earned field position and on the first play Marcus Stock took a short pass to go over unopposed to snatch the lead. Robinson added the conversion for an 18-12 lead to the visitors.
After a jinking solo run, Eloi Pelissier scored a forty metre solo try, close to the sticks to give Aston a simple conversion and level the scores.
The Broncos were back in the driving seat on fifty-three when Guy Armitage took a Cory Aston pass to go over in the corner. Aston couldn’t add the touchline conversion.
With just ninety seconds left on the clock, Jimmy Keinhorst took a Danny Washbrook reverse pass to go over the line for a four pointer. Robinson added the conversion to give York a two point lead at 24-22.
A full blooded cup tie which switched one way and then the other as both sides looked to make progress into the fifth round. London were the better side in the opening forty but York came out after the interval like a different team. It was anyones going into the closing stages with York holding on for a famous win.
Broncos: Ashall-Bott, Hodson, Odgen, Armitage (T), Egodo (T), Aston (G), Meadows, Krasniqi, Davis, Battye, Hindmarsh (T), Curran (T), Fozard. Subs: Walters, Norman, Pelissier (T), Blakemore.
Knights: Marsh, Wallis, Keinhorst (T), Salter, Hey, Johnston, Robinson (4G), Teanby, Jubb, Clarkson, Washbrook, Scott, Spears. Subs: Brining, Green (T), Baldwinson (T), Stock (T).
Referee: Tom Grant.
Half-Time: 12-6.
Full-Time: 22-24.
Attendance: .
