ESL Round 3 Review

St Helens 13 Leeds 4


Tries: Gilmore, Meli Williams


Goals: Lyon 2


Field Goal Long


Att: 13,433


In a titanic struggle at Knowsley Road, the Saints kept up their 100% record by narrowly inflicting a first defeat on the Leeds Rhinos.


Young teenager Danny Williams -on his first team debut - opened the scoring by pouncing on a Richard Mathers grubber kick. Minutes earlier he was denied a try by the Video referee for being just offside, after chasing Kevin Sinfield Kick. With seconds, remaining of the first half St Helens took the lead when Lee Gilmore latched on to a Paul Anderson short Pass.


St Helens were soon in to their stride as they battered a resolute Leeds defence. They increased their lead when Jamie Lyon added a penalty goal from underneath the posts. The Rhinos were finding it hard to get out of their own half as Saints went in for the kill. Eventually after a superb long-pass by, ex Bulls star Leon Price Francis Meli crashed in at the corner. Leeds tried to get back on terms but they ran out of steam and time. A late Sean Long drop-goal clinched the points for the Saints to maintain their great start to the season.




Bradford Bulls 34 Salford City Reds 4


Tries: Hape, Fielden, Gene, Hodgson
Meyers, I Harris 2


Goals: Deacon 4, I Harris 1


Att: 10,062


Engage Super League champions Bradford Bulls brought Salford back down to earth with a convincing victory at Odsal Stadium.


The game as a contest was over by half time as the Bulls raced into a 24-4 lead with Iestyn Harris touching down twice Brad Meyers and Stuart Fielden adding further tries with Paul Deacon kicking four goals. The only reply for the Reds was a sole David Hodgson try.


In the second half the Bulls continued to apply pressure to the Salford line but after some resolute defending Shontayne Hape scored the Bulls fifth try and 10 minutes from time Stanley Gene wrapped up the scoring to give the champions their first home win of the season.




Wigan Warriors 36 Huddersfield Giants 20


Tries: Ashton, Hansen, Brown, Nero, Evans, DeVere,
Dallas, Paleaaesina.Godwin Torrens



Goals: Tickle 6 Thorman, DeVere


Att: 11,623


There was a huge sigh of relief at the JJB Stadium as the Warriors? recorded their first Victory of the season.


The game was all but over as Wigan raced into a 30-4 lead at the break with tries by Chris Ashton, Kevin Brown, Iafeta Paleaaesina, Harrison Hansen and Brett Dallas all converted by Danny Tickle. A late first half try by Chris Nero got the Giants on the scoreboard.


After the break, the Giants further reduced the lead when James Evans went in to give the visiting fans some hope. Huddersfield?s hopes of an unlikely fight back were dashed on 60 minutes, after Paul March was put in the sin bin for holding down. The Warriors then took the advantage by a Wayne Godwin Try.


In the last tem minutes, the Giants scored two tries through Torrens and De Vere to give the scoreline a more flattering look.




Harlequins RL 6 Wakefield Trinity Wildcats 26


Tries: Tookey Obst, Halpenny,
Tadulala 3


Goals: Sykes March, Jeffries 2


Att: 3,554


Harlequins are still looking for their first win of the Super League after going down to an inspired Wakefield Wildcats at the Twickenham Stoop.


Wakefield owed a lot to hat-trick hero Semi Tadulala- who opened his account in the first few minutes of the game. The flying Fijian scored his second try seven minutes later and on 27 minutes, Sam Obst punished an error by young Quin Tony Clubb to give the Wildcats a 14-0 Halftime Lead.


With the further absent of influential skipper Mark McLinden; Quins came close to scoring but some good defence by Wakefield and some poor handling left the hosts with nothing to show. Trinity sealed the game when Colum Halpenny touchdown to give his team a 20-0 lead. Six minutes from time, Tadulala completed his hat-trick. Harlequins finally got on the scoreboard when Mark Tookey crashed over under the posts to score a consolation try. However, the Wildcats had the last laugh through a Ben Jeffries penalty goal to complete a well-deserved victory.




Warrington Wolves 46 Hull FC 24


Tries: Bridge, Wainwright, Yeaman 2,Raynor, Brough
Briers, Clark, Fa?afili 3,
Barnett
Goals: Briers 6 Brough 4


Drop Goals: Briers 2


Att: 9,359


In an extraordinary game at the Halliwell Jones Stadium, Warrington Wolves produced an unbelievable second half comeback to dent Hull FC unbeaten record.


The Wolves were staring at a third successive defeat when they conceded two tries in the first 14 minutes and found themselves trailing 24-12 after a spectacular 90-metre try from Great Britain winger Gareth Raynor five minutes before half-time.


The second half fight back was led by inspirational captain Lee Briers who galvanised his team, which led to them scoring 34 unanswered points. Kiwi winger Henry Fa?afili completed a hat-trick and ex Hull player Richie Barnett got on the score sheet as he squeezed in at the corner.


Hull completely fell apart as the Wolves turned up the heat and in the final seconds of the game Lee Briers completed the scoring with a towering drop goal, which finally gave Warrington a most unlikely win to record their first victory of the season.



Castleford Tigers 34 Catalans Dragons 28


Tries: Fletcher, Pryce, Huby Guigue, Wilson, Bosc,
Viane 3, Shenton Beattie, Fakir
Barnett
Goals: Kain, Huby 2 Frayssinous 4


Att: 5,852


Castleford Tigers claimed their first win since returning to Super League by overcoming Catalans Dragons at the Jungle.


The Tigers raced into a 16-0 lead with tries by Wayne Price, Gray Viane and Craig Huby as the Dragons will still feeling the effects of been without injured skipper Stacey Jones. Catalans managed to get themselves back in to the game with tries from Jamil Fakir and Thomas Bosc, but a Try by Richard Fletcher put Cas back in to the driving seat at halftime.


After the break the Tigers increased their lead when Viane scored his second try in the corner, however Wayne Price was sin-binned, which resulted in tries from Chris Beattie and Renaud Guigue to pull the Dragons to within 4 points of the Tigers.


With 17 minutes left on the Clock an unlikely Catalans victory was on the Cards when, former West Tiger John Wilson crashed in to the corner to put the French Side in front for the first time. The lead was short lived as the Tigers stormed back to claim victory with late tries from Shenton and Viane who rounded things off by completing his hat-trick much to the delight of the home fans.