York beat Wigan 8-6 to claim record third Women's Super League title

York Valkyrie won a record third Women's Super League title with an 8-6 victory over Wigan Warriors at the Brick Community Stadium on Sunday. BBC Sport reported that York protected their narrow half-time advantage throughout a scoreless second half, denying the favourites the championship on their own ground.

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Sinead Peach scored York's try and Ellie Williamson added two goals, while Mia-Jayne Atherton supplied Wigan's only try and Isabel Rowe their goal. All 14 points came before the interval. Atherton and Wigan team-mate Eva Hunter were both sent to the sin-bin during the first half, leaving the Warriors to contend with disciplinary setbacks as well as an eventual two-point deficit.

BBC Sport highlighted teenager Amelie Lenham's defensive interventions as York resisted sustained second-half pressure. Wigan could not turn their attacking opportunities into the score they needed. York therefore secured the trophy without adding to their own total after the break, becoming the first team to win the competition three times.

The result completed a turnaround in York's meetings with Wigan this season. The club's published results show that the Valkyrie lost 44-0 away to the Warriors on 15 August, but beat them 26-12 at home on 13 September. Super League's account of that September match confirmed it was Wigan's first defeat in any competition during the campaign.

That earlier victory was also crucial to York's route into the play-offs. Super League reported that the Valkyrie and St Helens finished level on 14 points, with points difference deciding the remaining semi-final place. York had built an 18-point half-time lead against Wigan through four tries, including two from Monique Donovan, before completing the win that kept their title challenge alive.

York then won 12-0 at Leeds Rhinos on 18 September to earn their Grand Final place, a result recorded by both the club and Super League. Wigan took a different route: winning the League Leaders' Shield gave them a bye directly into the final. York's successive victories over Leeds and Wigan ultimately turned that hard-earned play-off opportunity into the championship.