York secured a convincing 38-14 triumph over fellow relegation‑battle teammates Toulouse at the LNER Community Stadium, thanks in large part to a three‑try performance from Scott Galeano. The win marked York's third success of the Betfred Super League season and snapped a five‑game losing streak that had spanned all competitions. The Knights opened the scoring early, with Paul Vaughan – who was celebrating his 35th birthday on the day – powering over the try line beneath the posts.
A subsequent attempt in the corner was disallowed because the ball had not been properly grounded, but the early momentum was already with York. Vaughan added a second try shortly thereafter, and Cody Hunter's reliable conversion pushed the home side ahead 12-0 after just 20 minutes of play. Toulouse responded after the half‑hour mark when Thomas Lacans displayed quick footwork to cut inside and touch down, narrowing the gap.
However, York quickly reclaimed control when Australian winger Galeano dove into the right‑hand corner for a try just before the break, leaving the halftime score at 18-6 in York's favour. The second half saw York extend their lead further.
In the 55th minute, Jesse Dee chased a high kick, was driven into the advertising boards, and managed to hook the ball back, creating an easy platform for Galeano to score his second try of the evening. Kieran Buchanan then added another try, cementing York's dominance. Hunter added a penalty goal shortly after the hour mark, taking the tally to 32-6.
Toulouse, who were sitting at the bottom of the table on points difference behind York, managed to fight back in the 66th minute. Henry O'Kane displayed impressive power, grounding the ball despite being held up by a pair of York defenders, giving the French side a second try and a brief glimmer of hope.
York finished the match strongly. With eight minutes remaining, Galeano completed his hat‑trick, sealing his personal haul of three tries and ensuring the final scoreline of 38-14. Toulouse added a late consolation try when Mathieu Jussaume burst through the York defense, but it was too little, too late, as the French club suffered their seventh league defeat of the campaign. In other action on Thursday night, Leigh Leopards delivered a solid performance against Huddersfield Giants, with Josh Charnley scoring two second‑half tries to guide Leigh to a 30-16 win.
Charnley, celebrating his 400th appearance, increased his Super League try total to 263, putting him just five tries shy of Ryan Hall's all‑time record. AJ Towse also crossed the line twice, while Innes Senior contributed a try and Lachlan Lam earned a penalty try. Huddersfield's points came from tries by Adam Swift, Taane Milne and Jacob Gagai. The Giants remain joint‑bottom of the table, level with Toulouse on four points, while Leigh moved up to eighth place.
The latest Super League table reflects York's upward trajectory after the win, lifting them above the relegation zone. Meanwhile, the competition continues to be broadcast live on Sky Sports throughout the season, with two matches each round shown exclusively live and the remaining five fixtures streamed weekly on the network. Overall, York's performance was highlighted by Galeano's hat‑trick, disciplined defense, and effective kicking from Hunter, all of which combined to secure a vital three‑point victory and keep their survival hopes alive as the season progresses.