Stobart Super League XVII - Round 4 Review

This weekend saw the Stobart Super League reach Round 4 and on Friday night Catalan Dragons produced one of the best comebacks in the Summer era.

To see our everything panned out we have a look at this weeks action below.

Salford City Reds 24
Tries: Gibson 2, Gleeson, Ashurst
Goals: Holdsworth 4

Hull FC 22
Tries: Seymour 2, McKinnon, Briscoe
Goals: Tickle 3

Att: 5,186

Salford City Reds edged past Hull FC by claiming a last minute win, their first at the new Salford City Stadium.

Both teams came into this game on a high, Hull were still unbeaten and the City Reds were in good form after a big win at Widnes last week.

It was the hosts who made the better start and raced into a 10-0 lead. Daniel Holdsworth set up the first try as his chip kick was collected by Ashley Gibson who scored in the corner.

Midway thorugh the first half, Salford extended their lead as Sean Gleeson's superb flick pass sent Gibson in to make it a double for the winger.

Hull, hit back immediately thorugh ex N.Z. Warrior Brett Seymour who dummied his way over from close range. Just after the half hour we were all square as Wade McKinnon squeezed in at the corner.

The comeback was complete for the Black and Whites as just before the break Seymour crashed over to give his side a 16-10 lead.

A great move by Luke Patten got Salford back on terms as he sent Matty Ashurst crashing over the whitewash.

Both teams had further chances to break the deadlock but some good defence kept the scores level until the City Reds finally cracked on 65 minutes. Quick hands from Willie Manu and Kirk Yeaman sent Tom Briscoe over in the corner with inches to spare. Danny Tickle booted the touchline conversion and the visitors led 22-16.

But the host would not go away, Holdsworth and Patten combined to create the space for Gleeson to power over. Holdsworth added the extras as a tense finish was set up.

Richard Horne missed a drop goal attempt five minutes from time for the visitors and then , with two minutes remaining, Hull hooker Danny Houghton was penalised and up stepped Holdsworth who confidently kicked the match winning penalty from 45 -meters out as Salford claimed the two points to end Hull' unbeaten start to 2012.

St Helens 32
Tries: Foster, Laffranchi, Wheeler 2, Makinson
Goals: Foster 6

Catalan Dragons 34
Tries: Casty, Dureau, Millard, Sa, Dupport, Blanch
Goals: Dureau 5

Att: 13,108

Catalan Dragons stunned St Helens by snatching a dramatic win on the final hooter at Langtree Park.

This was a battle of the unbeaten teams, with the Dragons putting their 100% record on the line and also saw Leon Pryce return to face his old club.

Saints, who dropped a point at Hull KR last Sunday, made a dream start from their first attack Jamie Foster gathered Lee Gaskell's grubber kick to score out wide.

The Dragons hit back and with a rare venture into the hosts twenty, Remi Casty shrugged off the attempted challenge of Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook to touch down.

But this was short lived as St Helens upped the tempo. Jonnie Lomax jinked his way through the Catalan defence to get ex Titan prop Anthony Laffranchi over and shortly after Gary Wheeler took Paul Wellens' pass to score his side's third try of the night.

Foster, converted all three tries and also kicked a first-half penalty to make it 20-6. On the half time hooter Scott Dureau reduced the gap by slotting over a penalty goal.

In the early stages of the second period Saints increased their advantage to 26-8 as Tommy Makinson scooped up a pass from Michael Shenton by his ankles to cross.

On 57 minutes, the visitors reduced the arrears as they moved the ball across the pitch for Damien Blanch to score in the right hand corner.

Suddenly, the Frenchside had the momentum and hit the hosts with two tries in as many minutes. Foster dropped Daryl Millard's kick to gift centre Vincent Duport a touchdown and Dureau finished off a break by Blanch to cut the gap to just four points.

Wheeler then looked to have stopped the onslaught as he intercepted Dureau's pass to score his second try of the game.

However, there would some late drama as first Ex Saint Pryce sent second rower Setaimata Sa over for a fifth Catalans try and, with the last move of the match, Catalan somehow kept the ball alive, using the full width of the pitch Millard, on the nod of the video referee levelled things up.

Dureau kept his nerve to land the touchline goal as the Dragons pinched the points to remain unbeaten and to send out a message to their Super League rivals.

Wakefield Wildcats 18
Tries: Cockayne, Southern, Kirmond, Mathers
Goals: John

Bradford Bulls 36
Tries: Lulia, Whitehead 3, Kearney 2
Goals: Sammut 6

Att: 6,934

Bradford Bulls claimed their second away win of the season with a strong second half performance to see of Wakefield Wildcats at the Rapid Solicitors Stadium.

Wakefield were raring to go after having last week off due their opponents Leeds Rhinos playing Manly in the World Club Challenge, and this showed as with the first attack of the game a kick from Isaac John led to Ben Cockayne opening the scoring.

Bradford needed this game to get over last Sunday's ten-try mauling by Wigan and they hit back through centre Keith Lulia. Jarrod Sammut kicked the extras.

On 13 minutes ex Knight forward Steve Southern was put through a massive whole in the visitors defence as the Wildcats retook the lead 10-6.

The next score did not come until just five-minutes before the break as an interception by Elliot Whitehead saw Bradford go into the interval with a narrow 12-10 lead.

In the early stages of the second half, Wakefield moved into the lead after second row forward Danny Kirmond powered his way over the line, but unfortunately John continued his poor form on the night by missing the conversion.

Suddenly the Bulls sprung into action and took the game away for the Wildcats with a four try burst in fifteen minutes. Whitehead was at the centre of things as he took two identical kicks from ex Wakefield player Ben Jeffries to go over for his second hat-trick in his Super League career.

Not to be outshone Brett Kearney also got on the scoresheet by helping himself to a brace. Sammut was floorless with his goal kicks as Bradford moved into a 36-14 lead with fifteen minutes remaining.

Richard Mathers managed a consolation for Wakefield but it was too late as the Bulls claimed the points, their second win of the season, all away from Odsal.

Castleford Tigers 4
Tries: Griffin

Wigan Warriors 46
Tries: O'Loughlin, Tomkins 3, Richards 2, Charnley
Goals: Richards 7

Att: 8,156

Wigan Warriors made it three wins on the bounce as they racked up the points to ease past Castleford Tigers at the Probiz Coliseum.

It was the end of emotional week for the Tigers with Coach Ian Millward on compassionate leave due to the sudden death of his 19-year old Robbie, Stuart Donlan was in charge and his side struggled early on.

Sean O'Loughlin opened the scoring early on as he sliced through from 25-meters out. Sam Tomkins made the most of a mistake to side step his way over the line as Wigan led 12-0.

On form Castleford winger Josh Griffin continued his scoring run by cutting the gap after good work by Rangi Chase and Richard Owen.

But, the Warriors hit back and added another two more tries to go into the break with a 24-4 advantage. Pat Richards scored the first after taking a pass from young centre Jack Hughes. Tomkins made it a double by scoring the other.

The visitors continued to dominate in the second period and in the early stages. Tomkins seized on neat kick from Michael McIlorum to complete is hat-trick. He then turned provider as Richards put the Warriors out of sight.

Little seemed to be going right for the out of sorts Tigers and the game was well beyond them as Josh Charnley completed a comfortable Wigan win by scoring a late brace.

London Broncos 16
Tries: O'Callaghan, Kaufusi 2
Goals: Witt 2

Huddersfield Giants 30
Tries: Brown, Brough, Cudjoe 2, Wardle
Goals: Brough 5

Att: 1,970

Huddersfield Giants made it three wins in four as they got past London Broncos at the Twickenham Stoop.

The Giants were looking to bounce back after last week's loss to Warrington and for London Broncos they were looking to open their account for 2012.

On 12-minutes the hosts took the lead after Antonio Kaufusi took an inside pass from Craig Gower and brushing off two tackles to touch down.

As the Broncos continued to press a lofted pass by Michael Witt was intercepted by Danny Brough who raced away to level things up.

Brough was taking charge and he set up Leroy Cudjoe who danced his way over the line to give Huddersfield the lead. Just on half-time another Brough penalty gave the visitors a 14-6 advantage.

Kevin Brown increased the Giants lead as he capitalised on Michael Robertson � mistake in defence.

The Londoners were given a lift as Kaufusi barged his way over for a second try, again after good work by Gower.

Huddersfield hit back and added their fourth try through Joe Wardle just moments later.

Jamie O'Callaghan showed great strength to add a consolation score for the home side five minutes from time, only for Cudjoe to put the gloss on a Giants win by scoring the final try of the game minutes from the final hooter.

Warrington Wolves 42
Tries: Atkins 2, Riley 2, Westwood 2, C Bridge
Goals: Hodgson 7

Hull KR 10
Tries: Hall, Lovegrove
Goals: Dobson

Att: 11,916

Warrington Wolves remained unbeaten to stay top of the Super League as they defeated Hull KR at the H.J. Stadium.

Both teams attacked each other early on and it was the Wolves who broke the deadlock by scoring on thirteen minutes. Ryan Atkins split the visitors defence open and Richard Myler followed up to send Chris Riley over out wide. Brett Hodgson added the extras from the touchline.

10 minutes later when some fast and accurate passing along the line allowed Chris Bridge to step inside the Rovers defence and use his pace to touch down.

Rovers could not break down a strong home defence and they went further behind six minutes before the interval as Trent Waterhouse managed to squeeze the ball out of the tackle to Myler and his long pass allowed Atkins to score in the corner and Brett Hodgson maintained his 100% record with the boot to make it 18-0 at Half Time.

Three minutes into the second period Hull KR broke their duck thanks to a midfield break from Craig Hall which was carried on by Josh Hodgson and Rhys Lovegrove then just outpaced the chasing Atkins to score out wide.

And it was game on got even when Josh Hodgson sent Hall racing clear to score under the posts and Dobson's conversion cut the deficit to just eight points at 18-10 with just over 25-minutes left in the match.

But any hopes of a dramatic comeback were virtually ended on minutes later when Stefan Ratchford's long pass allowed Riley to claim his second try of the game and Brett Hodgson again tagged on the extras.

The Wolves then turned on the style and finished in blistering style with three tries in the final six minutes as England forward Ben Westwood claimed a quickfire double with two tries in two minutes and Atkins rounded things off nicely by making it a double as Warrington showed their class.

Widnes Vikings 16
Tries: Ah Van, Flynn, Hanbury
Goals: Ah Van 2

Leeds Rhinos 44
Tries: Jones-Bishop 2, Hall 2, Burrow 2, Hardaker, Watkins
Goals: Sinfield 6

Att: 6,046

Leeds Rhinos handed out a fourth successive defeat to the Widnes Vikings with an easy win at Stobart Stadium.

Widnes were looking for their first win since re-entry to Super League for Leeds it was time to put last week's win over Manly to bed and concentrate on the bread and butter of the league.

Widnes made a bright start to the game but they could not break Leeds down and then they hit with a three try barrage in six minutes.

Ben Jones-Bishop began the spree by finishing off a spectacular 90-metre move started by Brent Webb. The second try came from Rob Burrow who scampered over from dummy half after Ryan Hall had been stopped by Paddy Flynn and Shaun Briscoe.

Burrow made it a double from McGuire's pass with Widnes having no answer to the Rhinos' pace and power.

But the Vikings did gain some possession and hit back with two tries in three minutes. Patrick Ah Van took Rhys Hanbury's long pass to go over in the corner with the Rhinos defence stretched. The next score was a touch of good fortune which saw Ah Van's kick rebound off Carl Ablett for the winger to put Hanbury over and cut the gap to 18-10.

Smart play by Burrow and Kallum Watkins saw Jones-Bishop notched his second try as the World Champions went into the interval leading 22-10.

Skipper Kevin Sinfield was held up over the line just after the restart but soon after there was no denying Ryan Hall as the England winger took Webb's pass.

Widnes tried hard but they were unlucky as a deflection off a defender gave Zak Hardaker his first try of the season. Sinfield landed the touchline conversion on the hour.

10 minutes from time the home supports had something to shout about as Paddy Flynn scored and Ah Van's kicked a touchline conversion.

But Watkins and Hall eased the Rhinos home by scoring a try a piece in the closing stages of the game to leave the Vikings to looking for that elusive win.