​First Utility Super League XIX - Round 19 Review

Widnes Vikings 20

Tries: Flynn, Galea, Ah Van, Dean
Goals: Tickle 2

Castleford Tigers 40

Tries: Dorn, Holmes, Clark 3, Shenton 2
Goals: Sneyd 6

Att: 4,562

Castleford Tigers claimed the bragging right over Widnes Vikings at the Select Security Stadium ahead of next month's Challenge Cup Semi final.

In the dress rehearsal for the Challenge Cup Semi-Final, the Tigers flew out of the blocks and ran in three tries in the opening ten minutes.

Jamie Ellis ‘ offload out of the tackle to sent full-back Luke Dorn over for the first try after just two minutes and then Marc Sneyd , who announced this week that he would joining Hull FC next year, then got Michael Shenton through a gap and Oliver Holmes was in support to score the second touchdown.

Then the third soon followed as hooker Daryl Clark finished off the length-of-the-field break. Sneyd kicked three from three to give the visitor an 18-0 lead.

Kevin Brown sent out a long pass as winger Paddy Flynn scored out wide as the Vikings were back in the game. Danny Tickle added the touchline goal and, a solo try from second rower Danny Galea cut the gap to four.

Just before half-time Sneyd re-gathered his own neat chip over the defence to send Shenton over as Castleford led 22-12 at the interval.

Back came Widnes when full-back Rhys Hanbury broke from his own 20-metre area and fed Patrick Ah Van , who powered his way over the line and then the big winger thought he had scored again soon after but he was denied by the video referee for being offside.

This only made Cas more determined and the soon were back in control when Clark ran 60 meters for superb try and then Shenton also grabbed his second.

Clark then completed his hat-trick seven minutes from the end with another long-range effort before centre Chris Dean scored a consolation try for the Vikings.

Hull FC 18

Tries: Lancaster 3
Goals: Abdull, Westerman 2

Warrington Wolves 24

Tries: Ratchford, Atkins, Harrison, Ormsby
Goals: Bridge 4

Att: 12,328

Warrington continued their blistering form by seeing off Hull FC at the K.C. Stadium.

The Wolves, who have not lost at the KC for seven years, were looking to extend their winning run to eight, but they fell behind after early on as Jordan Abdull kicked a penalty.

Played in damp conditions, the visitors struggled most with the wet ball and when Micky Higham lost the ball on 17 minutes, Callum Lancaster was on hand to score the games first try.

Warrington found their feet and hit back in the last ten minutes of the first half with two tries to lead 12-8 at the interval. Matty Russell made a 60-metre run and this led to Stefan Ratchford going over and then a perfectly-weighted grubber kick from Gareth O'Brien fell nicely into the hand of Ryan Atkins who finished things off.

Chris Bridge extended the lead with a penalty early in the second half. Both sides missed chances to score as they seemed to struggle with the damp conditions.

The Black and Whites finally held on to some ball and after good work by Skipper Gareth Ellis Lancaster claimed his second try as the gap was down to 14-12.

On the hour mark Ben Harrison took O'Brien's pass to charge over for the visitors' third try and six minutes later it was game over as Joel Monaghan setup Gene Ormsby.

Lancaster scored his hat-trick three minutes from the end and Joe Westerman's touchline conversion cut the gap to just six points but it came too late for the hosts as the Wolves moved to within one-point of second place Leeds Rhinos.

Wakefield Wildcats 16

Tries: Washbrook, Mathers, Owen
Goals: Sykes 2

Leeds Rhinos 14

Tries: Watkins, Jones-Bishop, Hall
Goals: Sutcliffe

Att: 4,364

Wakefield Wildcats moved clear from the bottom end of the table with a last gasp win over West Yorkshire rivals Leeds Rhinos at the Rapid solicitors Stadium.

The Rhinos came into this one short on numbers with no fewer than nine regulars missing due to injury and suspension. Wakefield under new coach James Webster fancied their chances as they were on a three match winning run.

Chris Riley thought he had scored the game's first try but his effort was ruled out by the video referee after Reece Lyne put a foot in touch and then the TV official was called on again to give the green light when Danny Washbrook raced on to Tim Smith's chip over the top to touchdown as the hosts took the lead.

It took over half an hour for Leeds to adventure into the Wildcats 20 and on 33 minutes a mistake by Richard Owen led to Kallum Watkins going over and then a brilliant solo 80 meter effort by Full Back Ben Jones-Bishop saw the visitors take a narrow 8-6 lead at the break.

Possession was the aim of the game at the start of the second period as both teams showed more caution in attack.

After a cautious start to the second half, Wakefield re-took the lead when Tim Smith switched the direction of the attack and ex Rhino Richard Mathers reached out to score. Paul Sykes kicked his second goal to make it 12-8.

12 minutes from time Danny McGuire sent a high kick towards the corner which was plucked out of the air by Ryan Hall. Liam Sutcliffe kicked his first goal at his third attempt as the Rhinos led 14-12.

Jones-Bishop failed to take advantage of another break before McGuire had a try ruled out by the video referee and that proved crucial as Owen went sliding over in the corner to win it for Wakefield with just two minutes remaining.

Huddersfield Giants 10

Tries: Wardle, Patrick
Goals: Cudjoe

Salford Red Devils 36

Tries: Chase, Ashurst, Caton-Brown, Fages, Johnson, Locke
Goals: Locke 6

Att: 5,681

Kevin Locke made a stunning debut for Salford Red Devils as they shocked Huddersfield Giants at the John Smith's Stadium.

Four days after flying into England, the Ex New Zealand Warrior Locke was given his Salford debut.

Another debutant Mason Caton-Brown made an early mark with a break down the touchline which led to Rangi Chase scoring the game's first try after 12 minutes and soon it was 12-0 as Chase and his half-back partner Theo Fages showed quick hands to get Matty Ashurst over the line.

Huddersfield pulled a try back midway through the first half when Brett Ferres showed good hands in getting Joe Wardle over the line. There was no further scores in the first half as the Red Devils led 12-4 at the interval.

The game was very tight in the early stages of the second period as Salford struggled to get out of their own half and they were reduced to 12-men when prop Lama Tasi was given his marching orders for laying out Danny Brough who was forced off the field holding his jaw.

However, Salford made light on been one man down as they won the game with a blistering three try burst in nine minutes. Fages went over from close range before winger Greg Johnson scored one try and created another for Locke, who was taken off with 10 minutes left after having a great debut.

The Giants gained some consolation as Larne Patrick touchdown late on but they were well beaten as the third from bottom Red Devils put more daylight between themselves and the bottom two.

London Broncos 6

Tries: Minns
Goal: Drinkwater

Wigan Warriors 58

Tries: Charnley 3, Bowen, Bateman, Gelling, Taylor, Dudson, Burgess 2
Goals: Smith 9

Att: 2,013

Wigan Warriors moved back to third by crushing London Broncos at The Hive.

Wigan, entered the game on the back of successive defeats to Wakefield and St Helens, and had two former London stars Dan Sarginson and Tony Clubb in their starting line-up.

As the rain began to fall from the start both sides made plenty of handling errors and it took 15 minutes before there was any score and came from Anthony Gelling sending Josh Charnley over as the Warriors took the lead they would never relinquish.

Matty Bowen broke through some weak tackling for the second score and try number three soon followed when John Bateman finished off a break from Charnley.

It was Charnley's turn to touchdown for his second next after the ball was passed along the line. Matty Smith kicked his third goal as Wigan led 22-0 on the half hour mark.

The Broncos did manage a try just on the stroke of half time when Thomas Minns picked up a loose ball and raced in from half-way.

It was pretty much one-way traffic in the second half as Wigan ran in 6 further tries. Gelling pounced to score the first after Iliess Macani could not deal with Bowen's kick through.

Props Scott Taylor and Gil Dudson both got their names on the scoresheet as the lead ballooned past 40 points.

Charnley then completed his hat-trick on 65 minutes and there was still time for teenage winger to help himself to a quick fire brace as the poor Londoners suffered a 19th successive defeat.

Hull KR 40

Tries: Caro 3, Hall 3, Horne, Eden
Goals: Burns 4

St Helens 10

Tries: Percival, Masoe
Goals: Percival

Att: 7,611

Chris Chester got his coaching career off to the best possible start as Hull KR put St Helens to the sword at the K.C. Lightstream Stadium.

It was the perfect end to a traumatic week for Rovers, with the sacking of Coach Craig Sandercock and players Wayne Ulugia and Jonny Walker.

Omari Caro opened the scoring in the sixth minute when he raced away to score. Saints, without a win in East Hull since 2007, got on terms soon after when Mark Percival touched down.

Rovers were dominating the play and deservedly increased thier lead when good work by Travis Burns led to Caro claiming a double. Craig Hall, who announced on Friday he would be joining Wakefield Wildcats next season, added try number three as the lead went up to 14-4.

But, with half time looming big Mose Masoe powered his way over the line as Saints reduced the arrears.

Graeme Horne added another score for Hull KR just after the resumption and then on the hour mark Greg Eden spotted an overlap and sent Caro over in the corner for a hat-trick.

Two Hall tries in as many minutes ended any hopes for St Helens and Eden, who had a fine game, rounded the scoring off four minutes from time as Rovers claimed a brilliant win over the League Leaders.

Bradford Bulls 30

Tries: Olbison, Henry, Fakir, Gale 2
Goals: Gale 5

Catalan Dragons 32

Tries: Escare, Duport, Pomeroy, Bosquet, Whitehead
Goals: Williams 6

Att: 5,188

Catalan Dragons left it late as they came from behind to deny Bradford Bulls at the Provident Stadium Odsal.

After a last gasp at Leeds last week, Catalan were hoping for one better as they visited the relegation favourites Bradford Bulls.

The Bulls took the lead after swift handling from Luke Gale and Lee Gaskell enabled Tom Olbison to crash over on eight minutes. It did not take long for the French outfit to level as Zeb Taia broke clear down the left and in support was flying Full-Back Morgan Escare who dotted down next to the uprights.

Adam Henry put Bradford back into the lead after good work by on-loan Salford winger Danny Williams and it got even better for the hosts as ex Dragons prop Jamal Fakir claimed a try against his previous employers.

But it was the gap was cut to 18-12 at the break when Sam Williams sent Vincent Duport over the line.

Within two minutes of the restart the Bulls made it 24-12 as Daryl Millard was unable to field a high Luke Gale kick under pressure and Gale was quickest to react and pounce on the loose ball to score.

Two quickfire tries from Ben Pomeroy and Julian Bousquet made the game all square as Catalan roared back into the contest. Sam Williams then tagged on a penalty goal as the visitors led 26-24 for the first time in the game with just over ten minutes remaining.

The Bulls response was immediate as Gale burst clear and scored his second try next to the posts. However, the Dragons had the final say as ex Bradford Bull Elliot Whitehead, scored after the hosts defence failed to deal with a towering Escare kick to the corner.

First Utility Super League Ladder after Round 19