engage Super League Rd 23 Review

Hull FC 0

Wigan Warriors 46

Tries:    Richards 3, Farrell 2, Goulding, Tomkins 2,

Goals:   Richards 7

Att:    12,694

Wigan Warriors bounced back from last week's blip to demolish Hull FC at KC Stadium.

After losing to nearest League Leaders Shield rivals Warrington last week, Wigan were emphatically back in the groove as they ran in 8 unanswered tries against a poor Black and Whites side, who were missing seven first team regulars.

Point's machine, Pat Richards took Paul Deacon's kick to score out wide. Liam Farrell added another from close range. Sean O'Loughlin's long pass sent Darrell Goulding away to score out wide and Sam Tomkins made the most of a Hull mistake to give the Warriors a match winning 22-0 half time lead.

Wigan continued where they left off in the second period. Tomkins added his second after the re-start. Harrison Hansen's pass sent Richards away for his second and after a stunning reverse pass from Sam Tomkins, Farrell powered his way over.

Richards completed his hat-trick and converted a personal haul of 26 points as the Warriors, with Warrington' loss in France, opened up a four point lead at the summit of engage Super League table.

Hull KR 49
Tries:    Fox 3, Latus, Clinton, Newton 2, Briscoe 2

Goals:   Dobson 6

Drop Goal: Dobson

Bradford Bulls  24
Tries:    Reardon, Finigan 2, Kopczak, L'Estrange

Goals:   Addy 2

Att:    7,854

Bradford Bull suffered a record equalling tenth successive defeat as Hull KR ran out easy winners in a scrappy game at Craven Park.

Peter Fox scored the first try of the game on five minutes after crashing on to a Michael Dobson pass. Youngster Sam Latus doubled the hosts lead with his first try for the club. Joel Clinton ran in a third score from fifteen meters.

Stuart Reardon gave Bradford some hope but this was temporary as Clint Newton made it 20-4. Winger Vinny Finigan cut the gap to 12 points with a try just before the break.

Just after the re-start Newton went over again to effectively kill off any hopes for the Bulls. Two more tries followed from Fox and Briscoe.

Two quick-fire tires from Craig Kopczak and a scrappy effort from Heath L'Estrange threatened a Bradford revival but Fox put paid to this by completing his hat-trick.

Finigan scored a consolation for the Bulls. However, a drop goal from Dobson and Briscoe's second try gave Rovers an easy win.

Catalans Dragons 29
Tries:    Bell, Stacul, Vaccari, Casty, Carlaw

Goals:   Bosc 4

Drop Goal: Sherwin

Warrington Wolves 28
Tries:    Briers, Anderson, Clarke, Hicks 2

Goals:   Westwood 4

Att:    7,852

Warrington Wolves suffered a surprise narrow defeat to bottom of the table Catalans Dragons in Perpignan.

After last week's win at Wigan, the Wolves came into this game full of confidence, but it was the Dragons who were to take early control. Frederic Vaccari pounced on a Thomas Bosc kick to open the scoring. The visitors levelled as Chris Hicks ran 70-meters to score.

The French outfit re-took the lead after a flick pass from Brett Sherwin found Dane Carlaw. Steve Bell scored a similar try to Vaccari's as he got on the end of Sherwin's kick to make it 16-2.

Two tries in the last few minutes of the first half from Hicks and hooker Jon Clarke bought the score level at 16-16.

Cyril Stacul opened the scoring in the second half after good work from Dallas Johnson. A rampaging Remi Casty crashed over as Catalans increased their lead to 28-16.

David Solomona sent Vinnie Anderson over to cut the gap but Sherwin made it 29-22 with a drop goal on 63 minutes. With time running out Lee Briers managed to step his way to give the Wolves some hope. However, in a rehearsal to next month's Challenge Cup Semi-Final the hosts held on for the win which dented Warrington's hopes of finishing top of the table as they now trail leaders Wigan by four points.

Crusaders 30
Tries:    Hanbury, James, Hauraki, Martin, Sammut

Goals:   Schifcofske 5

Castleford Tigers 24
Tries:    Westerman, Widders, Shenton, Chase

Goals:   Westerman 4

Att:    1,495

Crusaders kept alive their hopes of a top eight finish by snatching victory over Castleford Tigers at The Gnoll in Neath.

Playing their first game in South Wales since their switch to Wrexham, the Crusaders were looking to close the gap on play off rivals Castleford Tigers. However, after a tight start Joe Westerman and Dean Widders gave the visitors a useful 12-0 lead.

Rhys Hanbury collected a loose ball to get the hosts on their way and just before the break prop Jordan James levelled matters with a close range try.

After the restart Weller Hauraki gave the Welsh team the lead for the first time, but the Tigers roared back to regain the advantage with scores from Michael Shenton and Rangi Chase.


With time running out the Crusaders produced a sensational finish to snatch the win. Tony Martin latched on to kick and Jarrod Sammut scored the all important match winning try as the hosts closed to within two points of their opponents with a game in hand.

Huddersfield Giants 40
Tries:    McGillvary 2, Brown, Finnigan, Lawrence, Grix, D Hodgson, Brough

Goals:   Brough 4

Harlequins RL 4
Tries:    Dorn

Att:    5,336

Huddersfield Giants ran in eight tries to claim a comfortable win over Harlequins RL at Galpharm Stadium.

After three minutes, winger Jermaine McGillvary scored a fine solo effort as the Giants took the lead. Kevin Brown made it 8-0 with a good individual try.

In a tight first half Luke Dorn intercepted a Brad Drew pass to race away and score as the Quins only trailed 8-4 at the interval.

However, the second half belonged to Huddersfield as they put Quins away by scoring six unanswered tries. Simon Finnigan, Michael Lawrence, Scott Grix and David Hodgson all went over in the first fifteen minutes of the half to effectively win the game.

The emphatic win was rubber stamped for the Giants with further scores from Danny Brough, who also kicked four goals and McGillvary with his second of the game on 63 minutes.

Salford City Reds 22

Tries:    Broughton, Gibson 2, Cashmere

Goals:   Tyrer 3

Leeds Rhinos 31

Tries:    Kirke, Hall 2, Sinfield, Donald

Goals:   Sinfield 5

Drop Goal: Sinfield

Att:    4,651

Leeds Rhinos moved into the top four, for the first time this year, by coming from behind to defeat Salford City Reds at The Willows.

After a confidence boosting win at Bradford last week, the City Reds continued their good form by taking the early lead through ex-Rhino Jodie Broughton. Ian Kirke stretched over the line to level for the visitors.

Salford continued to dominate the game and they moved into the lead 10-4 thanks to Ashley Gibson who muscled his way over in the corner to score against his former club. It could have been even better for the hosts as both Adam Sidlow and Broughton lost the ball over the line.

Ste Tyrer made it 12-4 with an early second period penalty goal.  The Rhinos upped the tempo and they got back into the game after a neat pass from Ali Lauiti'iti found Ryan Hall who scored out wide.

Kevin Sinfield found a huge gap in the Reds defence to give Leeds the lead and a long distance effort from Scott Donald made it 24-12. Ray Cashmere gave Salford some hope as he crashed over underneath the posts but another Hall score and a Sinfield drop goal put paid to this.

Gibson scored his second of the game in the dying minutes but it was too late as the Rhinos held on for the win.

Wakefield Wildcats 6
Try:   Hyde

Goal:    Cooke

St Helens 50
Tries:    Pryce, Gardner, Puletua 2, Wilkin 2, Magennis 2, Meli

Goals:   Foster 7

Att:    5,217

St Helens moved to within two points of second place by romping home against Wakefield Wildcats at Hearwell Stadium Belle Vue.

Wakefield opened the scoring with a debut try for utility back Kieran Hyde after his team had dominated the early pressure. Saints got back into the game through Leon Pryce who jinked his way over. He set up Ade Gardner for the second score with a deft grubber kick.

A 40-20 gave the position for Tony Puletua to crash over from close range as the visitors ominously went into half-time with a 16-6 lead.

After the restart a Scott Moore break sent in Jon Wilkin as St Helens moved further ahead. Shaun Magennis pounced on a mistake from Hyde after he fumbled a high kick.

After this the floodgates opened as Saints racked up the points. Wilkin, Magennis and Puletua added to their earlier scores. Francis Meli added the final try of the game as the visitors brought up a half century.

The win for St Helens sets up next week's blockbuster against second place Warrington.