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7 hours ago | Andy P
engage Super League Rd 3 Review
Leeds Rhinos 26
Tries: Clarkson, Sinfield, Hall, Smith, Jones-Buchanan
Goals: Sinfield 3
Harlequins RL 36
Tries: Gale, Ellis 2, Purdham, Bailey
Goals: Gale 6
Att: 14,350
Harlequins RL moved top of the table with an outstanding win at Headingley Carnegie as they ruined former coach Brian McDermott first home game in charge of the Leeds Rhinos.
The Rhinos started the stronger and on four minutes skipper Kevin Sinfield found Chris Clarkson to open the scoring. A defensive mix up between Ben Jones-Bishop and Lee Smith led to ex-Rhino Academy stand-off Luke Gale getting Quins on terms.
Sinfield's short goal line drop out was caught by Tony Clubb who strolled to the line without a hand being laid on him to give the Londoners the lead.
Hooker Andy Ellis scooted in from dummy half and with Gale making it three from three the visitors opened up an 18-6 lead. Just before the interval Sinfield's try and goal cut the deficit to 6 points.
On fifty minutes Leeds got back into the game with a try from Ryan Hall in the left hand corner. However, Quins had other ideas and took control with Rob Purdham and Chris Bailey making the most of some weak defence.
Ellis effectively won the game for the visitors as he scored his second try of the match to make it 36-16.
Smith and Jamie Jones-Buchanan did manage to score two consolation tries but it was not the Rhinos night as Quins kept up their 100% record, as coach Rob Powell got one over his old boss.
St Helens 18
Tries: Shenton, Flannery, Gaskell
Goals: Lomax, Foster 2
Warrington Wolves 25
Tries: Briers 2, Myler, Anderson
Goals: Hodgson 4
Drop Goal: Briers
Att: 10,514
Warrington Wolves finally broke their hoodoo against St Helens as they ran out victors at Stobart Stadium Widnes.
St Helens came into this game at their new temporary base with 100% record in home games against Warrington in the Super League era.
However, the Wolves started better and took an early lead thanks to Lee Briers' trickery. Brett Hodgson put a smart kick through for Richard Myler to pounce as Warrington doubled their advantage.
It got even better for the visitors as Briers was on hand again to make it 18-0 at the interval.
13-minutes into the second half the game was effectively over as Louis Anderson added his side's fourth try of the game. St Helens would not lie down and pulled one back thank to Michael Shenton.
Briers had other ideas and edged Warrington further ahead by kicking a one-pointer.
Saints showed some sprit by scoring two late tries in the final four minutes of the game from Chris Flannery and Lee Gaskell.
This win for the Wolves was their first league win at St Helens since 1994 and only their second victory in 41 games.
Crusaders 26
Tries: Martin, Thomas, Sammut, Witt, Schifcofske
Goals: Schifcofske 3
Bradford Bulls 30
Tries: Diskin, Lynch, Ainscough, L'Estrange, Royston
Goals: Ah Van 5
Att: 2,615
Bradford Bulls got off the mark by defeating Crusaders at The Racecourse Ground in Wrexham.
On nine-minutes Shaun Ainscough's 30 metre break set up the position for skipper Andy Lynch to open the scoring for the Bulls.
Crusaders half back, Michel Witt kept up his try scoring run by dummying his way over on the twenty minute mark to level the game up.
After defending well Bradford hit the hosts with two quick-fire tries just before the break. Shad Royston scored his first for the club and then Ainscough finished off a brilliant team move to increase the advantage to 18-6.
Immediately, after the restart Matt Diskin burrowed his way over from dummy half and the Bulls were now in firm control.
Welsh legend Gareth Thomas got the Crusaders back into the game and then he made a handling error as Heath L'Estrange pounced to make sure of a Bradford win by adding his team's fifth try of the game. Patrick Au Van kicked his fifth consecutive goal to give them a 30-10 lead.
In the last ten minutes of the game Crusaders finally broke the Bradford line and ran in three tries to give the score a closer look. Jarrod Sammut jinked his way over and Schifcofske added another before Tony Martin finished proceedings off on the hooter.
Huddersfield Giants 20
Tries: Hodgson 2, Brown, Lawrence
Goals: Brough 2
Hull FC 10
Tries: Turner, Sharp
Goals: Westerman
Att: 8,822
Huddersfield Giants got back on track as they swept past winless Hull FC at Galpharm Stadium.
Scrum-half Danny Brough set up David Hodgson for the Giants first try on four minutes and his kick through led to Hodgson scoring a double moments later.
The Black and Whites found a way into the game 10-minutes before the break as Jordan Tuner cut the gap to 10-4.
Early into the second period a deft pass from Richard Whiting led to Will Sharp going over the line and with Joe Westerman's kick the game was all square at 10-10.
A solo effort from Michael Lawrence regained the lead for Huddersfield and the game was won by star man Brough who set up Kevin Brown for the match winning try as the pressure mounted on Hull coach Richard Agar.
Hull KR 18
Tries: Briscoe, Green 2
Goals: Hall 3
Catalan Dragons 31
Tries: Raguin, Mounis, Menzies, Blanch 2, Sa
Goals: Dureau 3
Drop Goal: Dureau
Att: 8,092
Catalan Dragons got the monkey off their back as they got past Hull KR at Craven Park with a sterling second half performance.
Before the game started Rovers were given a major blow as news filtered out that star half-back Michael Dobson would be out for up to ten weeks after having an operation on an ankle injury.
Blake Green continued his good start to the season by scoring in a third successive game to give the hosts the lead and then he raced 90-metres to increase the lead to 12-0.
The Dragons got back into the game through Gregory Mounis and made it 12-12 at the interval with a further score from Setaimata Sa.
Minutes into the second half Catalans took the lead as Damien Blanch galloped his way to the line. But to their credit Rovers hit back immediately as Green sent Briscoe away.
However, that would the end of the scoring for the Red and Whites as the French-side took control. Sebastian Regain and Steve Menzies both added touchdowns to make it 24-18.
Blanch went over for his second of the game and Dureau made sure of the points with a goal and a one pointer as Catalans got their first win of Super League XVI.
Wakefield Wildcats 6
Tries: Lee
Goals: Veivers
Salford City Reds 32
Tries: Henry 2, Wild, Parker, Ratchford, Sidlow
Goals: Holdsworth 4
Att: 6,823
Salford City Reds picked up their first victory of 2011 with a comprehensive win over Wakefield Wildcats at Rapid Solicitors Stadium.
Played in wet conditions Salford drew first blood inside the first minute as Stefan Ratchford opened the scoring.
Four minutes later Stephen Wild scored their second try after Holdsworth's huge kick and the scrum-half was on hand to provide their third when he put in a tidy kick for centre Mark Henry to dive onto.
Wakefield reduced the deficit to 16-6 at the break as Tommy Lee scored what turned out to be their only try of the game.
The City Reds increased their lead as Holdsworth's delayed pass set up Rob Parker.
Wakefield could not capitalise on the visitors being reduced to 12 men as Ryan Boyle was sin-binned for a late challenge on kicker Jeremy Smith. Adam Sidlow and Henry scored two quick-fire tries late on to secure Salford the points.