Wakefield clinch Super League play-off place with 28-12 win over York

Wakefield Trinity secured their place in the Super League play-offs with a 28-12 victory over York Knights at the DIY Kitchens Stadium. BBC Sport reported that the result ended Wakefield's three-game losing sequence and moved them two points clear in fourth place, six points above seventh-placed St Helens.

Watch the highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1G5TD0SCuh4

Corey Hall opened the scoring after collecting Jack Sinfield's low kick, but former Wakefield player Ben Jones-Bishop replied in the right corner for York. Lachlan Walmsley then crossed from Hall's pass, giving the hosts a 10-4 advantage at half-time after Max Jowitt missed the conversion.

York drew level early in the second half when prop Xavier Va'a forced his way through and Jon Bennison converted. Wakefield thought Mike McMeeken had scored, but a video review ruled that Jowitt had impeded Scott Galeano. Penalties exchanged by Jowitt and Bennison subsequently left the sides level again as the match entered its final quarter.

The contest turned when Wakefield scored three tries in 10 minutes. McMeeken supplied Jayden Myers for the first, before an attempted inside pass by Bennison went directly to Jowitt, who finished the opportunity. Jowitt then created Walmsley's second try six minutes later and added his third successful conversion with four minutes remaining.

The result guaranteed Wakefield a postseason place while keeping home advantage in an eliminator within reach. Their final home match of the regular season is against Warrington Wolves next Saturday. Warrington sit four points above Wakefield after winning at Hull FC, while Trinity's earlier hopes of a top-two finish had been damaged by successive defeats to Wigan Warriors, St Helens and Leeds Rhinos.

York suffered a fourth consecutive defeat but remained level on points with fourth-bottom Hull, according to BBC Sport. They are also two points above Bradford Bulls, with the sides scheduled to meet in York's final fixture on 10 September after the Knights travel to Catalans Dragons. Wakefield prop McMeeken said patience had been central to breaking York down and that the victory helped restore confidence before the play-offs.