First Utility Super League XIX Round 4 Review

Round four produced some more entertaining games with St Helens, Castleford and Widnes maintaining their 100% records.

Leeds Rhinos and Huddersfield Giants played out a pulsating draw as Wakefield Wildcats broke their duck with a thumping win over Catalans Dragons who with London remain at the wrong end of the table without a win:

Widnes Vikings 32
Tries: Dean, Mellor Hanbury, Brown 2
Goals: Tickle 6

Salford Red Devils 18
Tries: Johnson, Lee, Fages
Goals: Mullaney 3

Att: 5,291

Widnes Vikings made it three from three with a comeback win over Salford Red Devils at the Select Security Stadium.

The Vikings welcomed back Stand-off Kevin Brown as they looked to continue their great start to the campaign against a Salford side that were without injured England duo Rangi Chase and Gareth Hock.

After dominating from the off it was no surprise that Widnes took the lead on 14 minutes as Rhys Hanbury's pass got Chris Dean crashing over the line. Danny Tickle made no mistake with the extras to make it 6-0.

With just over 6 minute left in the first half, Salford came to life and hit the hosts with a quickfire two try burst to take the lead.

Greg Johnson scored a superb try by powering out of a two-man tackle in his own half and racing way and soon after it was 12-6 as a break from ex Eel Jake Mullaney got hooker Tommy Lee over underneath the posts.

Just as the hooter for the break was about to sound, Danny Tickle cut the gap to four points by kicking a penalty awarded for obstruction.

Shortly after the resumption Brown's high kick was not dealt with by the Red Devils defence and on hand was Joe Mellor to touchdown and Tickle's third goal edged the home side into a 14-12 lead.

Once again Salford would not go away and French half-back Theo Fages on 55 minutes wriggled free from Mellor's tackle to finish off a break by Mullaney as for third time in the game the lead changed hands.

However, just after the 60-minute mark a break by Paddy Flynn scattered the Salford defence and from the next play the ball Rhys Hanbury scored. Soon after Brown made the game with a superb effort after taking a return pass from MacGraff Leuluai.

Just before the final hooter Brown rounded things off by powering his way over the line as the Vikings claimed the points and stretched their winning run from the end of last season to six games.

Huddersfield Giants 12
Tries: Broughton, Wardle
Goals: Brough 2

Leeds Rhinos 12
Tries: Ward, Watkins
Goals: Sinfield 2

Att: 8,759

Huddersfield Giants and Leeds Rhinos shared the spoils in a tough thrilling game at the John Smith’s Stadium.

Both teams came into this game with contrasting form. Huddersfield, who had beaten the Rhinos in their past five meetings, had let slip lead in their last two games as they took on Leeds who had yet to taste defeat this season.

And the Rhinos made the most of an early knock-on by Huddersfield full-back Scott Grix deep inside his own half when moments later Stevie Ward took Kevin Sinfield's pass to stretch out and score after just six minutes.

Sinfield's goal made it 6-0 but when the Giants brought on big Eorl Crabtree off the bench, his damaging runs turned the gaem around as the hosts began to dominate.

Grix looked like he had levelled but his try was chalked off by the video referee for obstruction and the official was call into action again as he disallowed two efforts from Joe Wardle as the Rhinos somehow hanged on to their lead.

The pressure eventually told as nine minutes before the interval good work by Brett Ferres set the play up for Jodie Broughton to score his debut try for Huddersfield out in the left hand corner.

Danny Brough failed with the difficult conversion and also missed a penalty as the visitors held a narrow 6-4 advantage at half-time.

It was a similar story in the second half as Leeds found themselves penned inside their own half and once gain the Video Ref was called on to adjudicate another no try for the home side.

On 53 minutes, Huddersfield deservedly got on terms as Brough kicked a penalty goal, awarded for a high tackle on scrum-half Luke Robinson by Jamie Jones-Buchanan.

After seeing some ball, the Rhinos regained the lead with a Sinfield penalty but this was short-lived as on 69-minutes after a good offload by Robinson, Wardle took Chris Bailey's cut-pass to cross at the corner. Brough landed the touchline conversion to give his side the lead for the first time.

However in a dramatic end to the game, Leeds levelled four minutes later when Kallum Watkins took a superb pass from full-back Zak Hardaker to touch down in the right hand corner.

Sinfield missed the touchline conversion and then had a drop goal attempt hit the posts with just two minutes remaining on the clock.

Brough also failed with attempts as both sided had to settle for a draw which meant the Rhinos 100% record to the campaign was at an end.

St Helens 38
Tries: Swift 2, Lomax, Walmsley,
Soliola, Makinson, Wilkin
Goals: Walsh 5

Hull KR 18
Tries: Larroyer, Eden, Hodgson
Goals: Burns 3

Att: 11,818

St Helens continued their early season dominance with another strong second half show to ease past Hull KR at Langtree Park.

Already on a high, Saints were given another boost when they gave debut to giant Samoan Mose Masoe off the bench.

Hull KR we relived to be able to call on forwards Michael Weyman and Justin Poore who both returned from suspension.

Rovers should have scored first but Ben Cockayne was unable to take a pass from Greg Eden and then from a scrum full-back Eden threw a wild pass which was snapped up by Adam Swift who raced away and scored after just six minutes.

St Helens doubled their advantage when Swift sent Jonny Lomax away and the full-back dummied Eden to make it 12-0 with Walsh adding the touchline conversion.

In the last ten minutes of the half, the visitors hit back with two scores to level at 12-12.

Kevin Larroyer got over the line for the first after good play by James Green. Ex Panther Travis Burns added the goal and the second soon arrived when Jordan Turner moved out of the Saints line with Ben Cockayne sending Eden through the gap to score.

Eight minutes after the restart Saints were back in-front when big prop Alex Walmsley crashed over from short range to make it 18-12.

It was now one-way traffic and Swift added his second after good work by Jon Wilkin and Lomax.

Walsh now started to control the plays and he set up two tries in three minutes for Isola Soliola and Tommy Makinson both from kicks as the lead ballooned out to 32-12.

Try number seven arrived after Swift jumped high to feed Wilkin after another kick by Walsh.

Josh Hodgson had the last say in the game as he caught Saints napping by darting over from a quickly taken tap penalty for a consolation.

Rovers finished with 12 men with Burns sin-binned for a blatant obstruction on Wilkin as St Helens remained top of the table with a fourth straight win.

Hull FC 44
Tries: Ellis, Westerman, Shaul 2,
Whiting, Heremaia, Houghton, Rankin
Goals: Whiting 5, Rankin

Bradford Bulls 16
Tries: Diskin, Purtell, Henry
Goals: Foster 2

Att: 11,307

Hull FC cruised to victory with a crushing win over cash strapped Bradford Bulls at the K.C. Stadium.

It could not have been a worst start for the Black and Whites as Tom Lineham put the kick-off out on the full.

From the resultant penalty, Bradford marched down the field Bulls and Matt Diskin went over from dummy half to open the scoring.

Hull dusted themselves down and got terms soon after as good work by Aaron Heremaia sent Gareth Ellis over the line.

Next on the scoresheet was Joe Westerman as the hosts turned the screw and soon after Jamie Shaul crossed after strong play by Fetuli Talanoa.

Bradford got some ball and get back into the game when Adrian Purtell scored out wide but unfortunately from the kick-off Manase Manuokafoa knocked on and this led to Richard Whiting making the visitors pay as Hull dominated the rest of the first half.

Heremaia went under the posts on 32 minutes after good play by Danny Houghton before the hooker got one for himself as The Black and whites effectively wrapped the game up by leading 32-10 at the break.

More misery was to follow for the Bulls after the resumption when Shaul pounced on Richard Horne's brilliant reverse kick to touch down for his second score of the game.

Next on the scoreboard was Jordan Rankin as he finished off a break to make it 44-10.

Four minutes from time Bradford got a consolation after a good run from on loan signing from Leeds Liam Sutcliffe setup the position for Adam Henry to score.

Jamie Foster added the extras from out wide but it did not dent a much need win for Hull as the Bulls remain at the bottom of the table on -2 points.

London Broncos 16
Tries: Slyney, Farrar, Minns
Goals: Bishay 2

Warrington Wolves 44
Tries: Asotasi, Bridge, R. Evans 4, Ormsby, Atkins 2
Goals: Ratchford 4

Att: 1,377

Warrington Wolves had to come from behind as they claimed a comprehensive win over London Broncos at The Hive.

The Broncos made numerous changes with ex Melbourne Storm winger Denny Solomona making his debut despite only been in the UK for less than 24 hours.

For the Wolves, Rhys Evans replaced Joel Monaghan on the right wing and they started well when Roy Asotasi took a short pass from Ben Westwood and crashed over the line.

But it did not take long for the Londoners to hit back as good work by Mike Bishay led to Nick Slyney scoring from close range

Now with a foothold in the game it got even better for the Broncos as Ben Farrar showed a dummy to score out wide. Bishay kicked the extras from the touchline.

On loan Rhinos Thomas Minns took Scott Moore cross-kick before burrowing over on 23 minutes as it got even better for the men from the Capital.

Warrington awoke from their slumber and hit back with two scores to cut the deficit at the break to 16-14. Chris Bridge powered over for the first and then he played in Rhys Evans shortly after.

In the early stages of the second half Gene Ormsby touched down as the Wolves retook the lead they would not give up.

Evans claiming his second touchdown in the 47th minute when he finished off a flowing passing move and as London began to tire it was all one-way traffic.

Ryan Atkins scored try number six after he followed up a break from Michael Monaghan and then Evans claimed his hat-trick by racing in from halfway.

There was still time for the Welsh winger to claim his fourth before with the final act of the game Atkins intercepted a Farrar pass to race the length of the field as Warrington made it two wins from four games to leave the Broncos in the relegation zone.

Wakefield Wildcats 56
Tries: Tautai 2, Molloy, Lyne 2, Godinet 2, Smith, Sykes
Goals: Sammut 10

Catalans Dragons 14
Tries: Whitehead 2, Pryce
Goals: Barthau

Att: 4,190

Wakefield Wildcats got their first win of 2014 with a 9-try destruction of Catalans Dragons at the Rapid Solicitors Stadium.

Prop Nick Scruton and winger Chris Riley made their Wildcats debuts against an injury hit Dragons who had no fewer than 12 players unavailable.

The opening try came in the 13th minute when Brent Webb made a mess of Ben Sammut’s kick and on hand was ex Eel forward Taulima Tautai to dive on the loose ball which was his first four pointer for the Wildcats.

Sammut added a penalty goal before Tautai made it a double as he burst through a huge gap in the visitors defence.

Now on top, Wakefield dominated the rest of the first half as the poor Frenchside were put to the sword. Tautai was a real handful and he setup try number three for Jon Molloy.

Two more scores arrived before the break, the first coming courtesy of a Paul McShane kick which was pounced on by Reece Lyne.

A ball strip by Sammut led to Lyne scoring his second with the last play of the first half as the hosts led 32-0.

It was more of the same after the resumption as Pita Godinet went over with ease and then the ex New Zealand Warrior intercepted a Leon Pryce pass and raced the full length of the field for a spectacular try.

There was some respite for Catalans as Elliot Whitehead and Pryce both got over the whitewash.

However, this was short lived as Daniel Smith got on the end of McShane’s grubber kick. Paul Sykes scored the Wildcats ninth try before on the final hooter Whitehead made it a double as the Dragons remained at the wrong end of the table with a fourth successive defeat.

Castleford Tigers 36
Tries: Dixon, Dorn 2, Milner, Clark, Channing
Goals: Sneyd 6

Wigan Warriors 31
Tries: Bowen, Green, Smith, Clubb, Burgess, Charnley
Goals: Smith 3
Drop Goal: Smith

Att: 8,504

Castleford Tigers claimed a thrilling win over Wigan Warriors with the last play of game at the Mend-a-Hose Jungle.

The Tigers put their 100% record on the line as they entertained last year’s double winners Wigan Warriors.

Castleford flew out of the blocks and ran Wigan raged to lead 16-0 after just 12 minutes. Justin Carney set up the position for the game's first try, charging 40 metres down filed and this resulted in Luke Dorn getting Kirk Dixon over the line.

Carney was then sin-binned for swinging a punch at Wigan second rower John Bateman but the Tigers were not hampered being a man light as Dorn nipped over from close range, then a mistake by ex Cowboy Matty Bowen gifted a try to hooker Adam Milner after the Full-Back had fumbled Marc Sneyd's kick.

Soon after Bowen made amends by pouncing on Matty Smith's kick to score his first try for Wigan. Blake Green cut the gap further by dummying his way over but back came the Tigers with substitute hooker Daryl Clark burrowed his way over from acting half to make it 22-14 after 30 minutes.

In the final minutes of the half Wigan added scores from Tony Clubb and Joe Burgess with a 60 meter sprint to take a narrow 24-22 lead into the interval.

The game settled down after the restart and the next points arrived on 58 minutes when centre Michael Channing took Weller Hauraki's cut-out pass to score Castleford's fifth try which restored their lead. Sneyd kicked the extras and a penalty goal when Ben Flower had been sin-binned for a "cannonball" tackle.

However, there would be a dramatic final couple of minutes in the game. Firstly Josh Charnley collected Smith's kick and scored in the left hand corner. Smith then kicked a touchline conversion and after the kick off a one pointer which looked to have nicked the game for the Warriors.

But, from the kick off Castleford recycled the ball and up stepped Dorn to clinch a sensational win for the unbeaten Tigers who denied Wigan at the death.

First Utility Super League - ladder after Round 4