engage Super League Rd 18 Review

Bradford Bulls 28

Tries:    L'Estrange, Nero, Menzies, Halley, Kearney

Goals:   Sykes 4

Warrington Wolves 40

Tries:    Riley 2, King, Briers, Higham 2, Atkins

Goals:   Briers 6

Att:    8,128

Warrington Wolves withstood a Bradford Bulls fight-back to claim victory at Grattan Stadium Odsal.

Bradford had to shuffle their team around and gave a debut to teenage scrum-half Cain Southernwood but despite a bright start, Warrington took the lead in the ninth minute when Chris Riley collected a pass from Simon Grix and plunged over in the left corner. Moments later the visitors doubled their advantage with a Matt King try.

Heath L' Estrange squeezed his way over to get the Bulls on the scoreboard and they were level at 10-10 with a close effort from Chris Nero. But the Wolves hit back and with tries from Lee Briers and Mickey Higham they went into the break with a 22-10 lead.

The Bulls came out strongly at the start of the second period and on 44-minutes Steve Menzies was on hand to make the most of a Riley slip. Six minutes later, the game was all square at 22-22 as Dave Halley finished off a good passing mover.

However, Warrington hit back and scored two tries in a minute. Riley made the most of two Bradford defenders missing a high kick from Briers and Atkins raced away to give the visitors a 34-22 advantage.

Bradford threatened another fight-back with a Brett Kearney score but Higham claimed his second with seven minutes remaining to make sure of the win for the Wolves.

Catalans Dragons 30
Tries:    Pelo, Raguin, Greenshields, Sa, Elima

Goals:   Bosc 5

Wakefield Wildcats 23
Tries:    Blanch, Cooke, Blaymire, Rinaldi

Goals:   Cooke 3

Drop Goal: King

Att:    5,055

Catalans Dragons came from behind to deny Wakefield Wildcats at Stade Gilbert Brutus in Perpignan.

Both sides came into the game in stuttering form. Catalans started the better but they were punished on 7 minutes after a wayward pass from Olivier Elima was snapped up by Wakefield winger Damien Blanch who raced the length of the field to open the scoring. Dimitri Pelo scored in the corner as the Dragons got on terms.

The visitors hit back through Paul Cooke who stepped his way over the line from 10 meters out and Matt Blaymire to give them an 18-4 lead. On 35 minutes Sebastian Raguin gave the Dragons some hope as he took Thomas Bosc's kick to score out wide.

Four minutes after the restart and the Wildcats increased their lead when loan signing Julien Rinaldi scored from dummy half. The home side were back in the game within six minutes after a neat kick to the corner by Brent Sherwin saw Steven Bell pass inside to Clint Greenshields to score.

Prop forward, Paul King slotted over a one-pointer to give the Wildcats a 23-16 lead, but the French-side would not lie down and throwing caution to the wind in the closing stages they were rewarded after a flowing move involving Ferriol, Bosc and Sherwin that saw centre Setaimata Sa score in the right corner. Bosc again added the extra two points to reduce the lead to one point.

With their tails up to the delight of the locals Sherwin and Bosc combined to send in Elima as the hosts took the lead for the first time in the game 28-23. With five minutes to go, Wakefield conceded a penalty 20 metres from their own line and Bosc's kick made sure of the win for Catalans, their first in the Super league since March.

Huddersfield Giants 32
Tries:    D Hodgson, Brown, Cudjoe, Lolesi, Lunt

Goals:   B Hodgson 6

Hull FC 18

Tries:    Turner, Manu, Yeaman

Goals:   Tickle 3

Att:     7,939

Huddersfield Giants stunned Hull FC as they came from 18-0 behind to claim the points at Galpharm Stadium.

Looking for their fifth consecutive win the visitors got off to the best possible start when Jordan Tansey kicked for Richard Whiting to send Jordan Turner in for the first score. On 22 minutes Willie Manu doubled the lead as he powered his way over the line.

Hull made it 18-0 as Kirk Yeaman went over for an easy try. Just before the break David Hodgson scored to give the Giants some hope as they trailed 18-6.

In the second half the Giants skipper Brett Hodgson started to pull the strings as his team roared back into the game. He set up Kevin Brown who dashed down the field to touchdown and then Leroy Cudjoe made the most of a Tansey mistake to draw Huddersfield level at 18-18.

On 64 minutes Brett Hodgson added a penalty goal to give the hosts the lead and as the Black and Whites ran out of steam tries from Jamahl Lolesi and Shaun Lunt made sure of the win as the Giants maintained their hopes of a top four finish.

Hull KR 42
Tries:    Newton 2, Dobson 2, Briscoe, Wheeldon, Clinton

Goals:   Dobson 7

Harlequins RL 6

Tries:    Ward

Goals:   Orr

Att:    7,612

Hull KR romped home as they eased past Harlequins RL at Craven Park.

Rovers turned their early pressure into points as Ben Fisher and Mick Dobson combined to send Clint Newton in for the opening try of the game. Shortly later Newton added his second of the game as he crashed over.

Dobson also went over for a try as he burst through on the right hand side to give the hosts a healthy 18-0 half time lead.

Quins pressured the Rovers line early in the second half but a wayward pass was snatched up by Dobson who raced 80 metres to score and effectively win the game for the hosts.

It got even worse for the Londoners as both Shaun Briscoe and Scott Wheeldon scored to give the Robins a 36-0 lead. Danny Ward scored a consolation for Quins on the hour mark, but with seven minutes left on the clock Joel Clinton went over to score his first try for the club.

This was Rovers fourth home win on the bounce and keep's them in the top eight on the heels of seventh place Bradford Bulls.

Leeds Rhinos 26

Tries:    Hall, Smith, Donald, Delaney

Goals:   Sinfield 5

Crusaders 32

Tries:    Mellars 2, Peek, Hauraki 2

Goals:   Schifcofske 6

Att:    14,371

Crusaders shocked Champions Leeds Rhinos at Headingley Carnegie Stadium by ending their 7 match unbeaten run.

Leeds scored first early on through Ryan Hall but after their slow start Crusaders took control of the game and Vince Mellars got them on terms with a close range effort.

Adam Peek gave the visitors a 12-6 lead with try close to the line, but just on half time the lead was reduced to 12-8 as Kevin Sinfield added a penalty goal for Leeds.

The Rhinos tried to get on terms early into the second period but it was Weller Hauraki who extended the Welsh-sides lead with a score underneath the posts. Two quick tries from Lee Smith and Scott Donald plus two touchline conversions from Sinfield put Leeds into a 20-18 lead.

Schifcofske brought the game level with a penalty goal before Hauraki and Brett Delaney exchanged tries as the match moved into the last few minutes of the game at 26-26.

Winger Vince Mellars won it for the visitors with his second try of the game just two minutes from time and prevented Leeds from making ground on the top four.

Salford City Reds 22
Tries:    Fitzpatrick, Littler, Broughton, Sibbit

Goals:   Holdsworth 3

Castleford Tigers 28
Tries:    Widders 3, Huby, Ferres

Goals:   Westerman 4

Att:     3,130

Castleford Tigers withstood a Salford City Reds comeback at the Willows to win their second game inside five days.

After playing Catalans on Tuesday night the Tigers came out firing and ex Rabbitohs second row Dean Widders scored a brace inside the first five minutes of the game.  Craig Huby also went over for the visitors.

Salford gave themselves a lifeline with a try from Karl Fitzpatrick but Widders completed a dream half by scoring his hat-trick at the visitors led 22-6 at the interval.

The third quarter of the game belonged to Salford as the Tigers began to tier, the City Reds drew level at 22-22 with tries by Stuart Littler, Jodie Broughton and Ian Sibbit.

But Brett Ferres' 74th-minute try was just enough to see Castleford home as they moved within three points of the top eight.

Wigan Warriors 24
Tries:    K Pryce, Leuluai, McIlorum, Gleeson

Goals:   Richards 4

St Helens 26
Tries:    L Pryce, Meli, Roby, Wellens, Foster

Goals:   Foster 3

Att:    20,498

St Helens blew the League Leaders Shield race wide open by holding of a Wigan Warriors fight-back to claim a win in a pulsating match at DW Stadium.

Wigan made a brigfht start but they on managed a ninth minute penalty goal from Pat Richards. After not touching the ball in the Wigan half Leon Pryce produced two moments of brilliance to give St Helens the lead, he firstly kicked a 40-20 and then steeped his way through to score.

Winger Francis Meli kicked ahead and squeezed in at the corner at the visitors increased their lead and it got even better for Saints as England hooker James Roby scooted over from close range.

On the half time hooter the Warriors gave themselves some hope as Karl Pryce-the younger brother of Leon- powered his way over the line to cut the lead to 16-6.

Immediately after the re-start it was game on as Thomas Leuluai swatted off some St Helens tacklers to go over the line.

Wigan lost some momentum after Mark Riddell was called for a forward pass Saints pressed home their advantage and took their lead to 26-12 with tries from Paul Wellens and Jamie Foster.

In the last ten minutes of the game the host's upped their tempo and cut the lead with a close range effort from Michael McIlorum. It became an anxious last five minutes as Martin Gleeson cut the gap to 26-24. However, St Helens weathered the storm and held on for the win which closes the gap on leaders Wigan to just four points.