Super League XVIII Round 19 review

Super League XVIII Round 19 review by Simon Reuben

Castleford Tigers                    30

Tries:   Owen, Chase, Clarke, Walker,

            Clare

Goals:  Dixon 5

Hull FC                                   28

Tries:   Crooks 4, Heremaia 2

Goals:  Holdsworth 2

Att:      6,022

Castleford Tigers claimed a narrow win over Hull FC in a high scoring thriller at the Wish Communications Stadium.

After six weeks in charge of the team Head Coach Daryl Powell at last got his taste of a home game against a Hull FC side who gave a debut to ex West Tiger scrum-half Jacob Miller.

Ex Castleford star Joe Westerman gave the visitors the perfect start as he carved open the home defence to setup Ben Crooks for the games first try after just two minutes.

The Tigers were soon back on terms when Rangi Chase’s high kick to the right hand corner was collected by Richard Owen.

Hull wasted a number of chances before they hit Castleford with two tries in the last ten minutes of the half. Big prop Liam Watts broke the line to get fellow substitute Aaron Heremaia over and then the hosts cracked again as after a move from the scrum-base Crooks went through the gap to score his second try of the game.

Daniel Holdsworth kicked his second goal to make it 16-6 at half time in favour of the East Yorkshire side.

In the early stages of the second period, t he battling Tigers awoke and led by talisman player Rangi Chase they stunned Hull with three tries in six minutes to storm into a 24-16 lead.

First Chase put centre Kirk Dixon through a gap and took a return pass to score next to the posts. Craig Huby then passed out of the tackle to get hooker Daryl Clark over as the Tigers took the lead.

Chase then came up with a 40-20 kick which resulted in substitute forward Jonathan Walker scoring from 10-meters out. Kirk Dixon made it four from four with the boot.

Heremaia got the Black and Whites back in it by finishing off a flowing move set up by Tom Lineham ‘ powerful run and the comeback was complete when Crooks scored his hat-trick on 61 minutes by finishing off Miller's break to make it 24-24.

In a frantic finish, Castleford re-took the lead when James Clare pounced on a loose ball and sprinted 95 metres to score.

But, there would be late drama when Miller's cut-out pass got Crooks over for his fourth try,  however Hull would fall short as Holdsworth missed his fourth goal of the contest as the Tigers held on for a narrow win which dented Hull’s top four hopes.

Salford City Reds                   10

Tries:   Gleeson, Broughton

Goals:  Sneyd

St Helens                                 52

Tries:   Turner 2, Manu, Wellens, Lomax,

            Laffranchi, Meli 2, Jones

Goals:  O’ Brien 8

Att:      3,248

St Helens turned in a strong second half performance to hand out another heavy defeat to Salford City Reds at the Salford City Stadium.

After suffering two heavy losses recently, the City Reds were looking to give a better performance and they did this until the seventeenth minute when Saints struck.

Jonny Lomax broke thorugh the line and passed inside Paul Wellens who got ex Red Jordan Turner over for a simply try. Three minutes later the score was doubled as Willie Manu powered over

Salford may have feared the worst at that point but their side responded as on loan Saints player Lee Gaskell got another ex Saint Martin Gleeson over the line as the gap was cut to six points. Just on half time Gareth O'Brien added a penalty goal to make it 14-6 in favour of the visitors.

Salford made a good start to the second half and cut the gap again as the ball was spread out wide with Gaskell set up Jodie Broughton to score in the left hand corner.

However, this would be has as close as the City Reds got in the game, as St Helens upped the tempo to blow the hosts away with seven unanswered tries.

Wellens, got things underway with one of his easiest scores in his 450^th game career for Saints. Next to score was Lomax who’s kick rebounded kindly off a defender but the Reds failed to react as he regathered and sprinted through for another simple touchdown.

Turner made it a double before Anthony Laffranchi burrowed over from close range as the floodgates began to open.

The next two came from a brace by Francis Meli and five minutes from time Salford were put out of their misery as Josh Jones gathered a loose ball to break the fifty point barrier.

O’Brien’s kicked his eight goal of the night as Saints romped home to leave the Reds firmly rooted to the bottom of the Super League ladder.

Catalan Dragons                     21

Tries:   Larroyer, Escare, Duport 2

Goals:  Bosc 2

Drop Goal: Bosc

Hull KR                                  22

Tries:   Eden 3, J. Hodgson

Goals:  Dobson 3

Att:      14,858

Hull KR edged out Catalan Dragons in an exciting game at the Ernest Wallon Stadium in Toulouse.

The Dragons move their home game from Perpignan to Toulouse as they attracted a big crowd for this on the road contest.

Rovers flew out of the blocks and took the lead after five minutes when Greg Eden raced the full length of the field to score.

Michael Dobson added the extras and then a break by Eden led to Dobson off-loading for Josh Hodgson to score next to the posts as the visitors led 12-0 after 9 minutes.

Suddenly Catalan awoke and got back onto the game thanks to Remi Casty, who ran the ball to the line and sent in Brian Larroyer for an unconverted try.

After having a try disallowed for obstruction, Morgan Escare made no mistake in scoring the French outfit second four pointer. Nine minutes from the interval the ball was passed thorugh the hands and Vincent Duport finished things off.

Thomas Bosc was having an off day with the boot has he missed his third conversion, but on the stroke of half time he popped over a drop goal as the Dragons led narrowly 13-12.

In the third quarter both sides failed to add to their score and deadlock was broken on the hour mark when Bosc added a penalty goal to make it 15-12.

With 13 minutes remaining, Eden made it a double for the game as he took Dobson's perfect inside pass to go in at the corner. Three minutes later, Catalan were back in front when Duport barged his way over for his second try. Bosc added the conversion to give the Dragons a five-point-lead.

However, there would be late drama as Eden and Dobson nicked the game for Rovers with just five minutes remaining.

Eden took Sean Gleeson's short pass to cross and Dobson kept his cool to kick the match winning conversion from the touchline.

Bradford Bulls                                    28

Tries:   Sidlow, Lulia, Donaldson, Kear,

            Platt

Goals:  Gale 4

Widnes Vikings                      32

Tries:   Hanbury 2, Marsh 2, Ah Van 2

Goals:  Owens 4

Att:      8,124

Widnes Vikings came from behind to deny Bradford Bulls at the Provident Stadium Odsal.

The Bulls were looking to end their three match loosing run against Widnes who had not won at Odsal for over 20 years.

Adam Sidlow charging through the Widnes defence to give the hosts a 7 minute lead. Luke Gale added the extras.

Keith Lulia picked up Danny Addy off-load as the Bulls made it 12-0.

After been given a few penalties, the Vikings reduced the arrears with livewire full-back Rhys Hanbury scoring an unconverted try.

Back came Bradford as Nick Scruton set up the position for James Donaldson to cross for his sides third try on the game.

With time running out in the first half, Kevin Brown’ pass got Stefan Marsh over the line as Widnes cut the gap to 18-10.

It was game on three minutes after the restart with Gareth Hock putting Hanbury in for his second try.

On 50 minutes Good work by Brett Kearney and Adrian Purtell enabled Elliot Kear to squeeze over in the corner as the Bulls made it 22-16 and two minutes later Michael Platt through the dummy to score as the lead was increased to 12 points.

However, Widnes would not go away and stunned Bradford with three unanswered tries. Marsh got the ball rolling on the hour mark before ex Bull Patrick Ah Van collected a Gale kick on the last tackle and raced 80 metres to score

Ah Van was the hero as he bagged the winning try in the corner with Owens fourth goal from six attempts making sure of the points.

Huddersfield Giants               40

Tries:   Robinson, Lunt 2, Murphy,

Ferres, Cudjoe, Grix

Goals:  Brough 6

Leeds Rhinos                          18

Tries:   Sutcliffe 2, Jones-Bishop

Goals:  Hardaker 3

Att:      7,756

Huddersfield made it three win this season over Leeds Rhinos by running out comfortable winners at the John Smith’s Stadium.

The champions were once again down on numbers with no than eight regulars missing through injury or suspension and they lost England back rower Jamie Jones-Buchanan with a leg injury after only eight minutes.

Leeds made the better start and took the game to the Giants but after weathering the storm, Huddersfield opened the scoring from their first attack.

Danny Brough's long pass set the play up for Luke Robinson to score the game’s opening try.

Teenager Liam Sutcliffe jinked his way over the line for a fine solo effort as the visitors got back on terms.

But a full strength Giants began to take control and hit back with two quickfire tries of their own. Shaun Lunt forced his way over from dummy half before Aaron Murphy finished off Joe Wardle's break.

Jimmy Keinhorst helped keep the Rhinos in the game by producing a one-handed pass to send Ben Jones-Bishop over. But just before the break England international Brett Ferres charged through a gap to make it 22-12 in Huddersfield’s favour.

After a pointless third quarter, Brough set up the position for Leroy Cudjoe to score the Giants fifth try of the game.

Scott Grix was then placed in the sin-bin for holding down and Leeds made the extra man count as Sutcliffe claimed his second try after good work by Mitch Achurch. Zak Hardaker kicked his third conversion.

However, it was the Giants who finished the stronger and claimed the win with late scores from Lunt and Grix, with his first touch after returning from his ten minute spell off the pitch.

Wakefield Wildcats                46

Tries:   Fox, Mathers, Kirmond 3,

            Sykes, Mariano, Wood

Goals:  Smith 7

London Broncos                     18

Tries:   Colbon, Dixon 2

Goals:  Grady

Att:      8,203

Under-strength London Broncos were no match for the Wakefield Wildcats who claimed a one-sided win at the Rapid Solicitors Stadium.

It was the 140^th anniversary game for the Wildcats and they were in no mood to let the London Broncos spoil the party.

But, the Londoners were struggling with injuries and had no fewer than 11 regulars absent as they await the arrival of new signing from St George Dragons Jamie Soward.

Wakefield dominated the first half and effectively had the game sewn up at the interval by holding a 30-4 lead.

Dean Collis supplied Peter Fox to opening the scoring on four minutes and then shortly later Richard Mathers doubled the lead.

Midway through the half Danny Kirmond went over from close range and then Tim Smith set up ex Bronco Paul Sykes to make it 24-0.

Kirmond made it a double by taking four defenders over the line with him, before on the half-time hooter Liam Colbon dived over in the corner to get the Londoners on the scoreboard.

The Broncos then had purple patch after the break as Kieran Dixon helped himself to quickfire brace. The first came off a short pass by Luke Dorn and the second by finishing off Michael Robertson's break.

However, the Wildcats hammered home their advantage in the last fifteen minutes as Kirmond took Smith's pass for his hat-trick.

Mariano and Kyle Wood both crossed late on to seal a one-sided win for Wakefield.

Warrington Wolves                 22

Tries:   Westwood, J. Monaghan, Higham, Hill

Goals:  Hodgson 3

Wigan Warriors                       12

Tries:   S. Tomkins, Gelling

Goals:  Richards 2

Att:      14,028

League Leaders Wigan Warriors winning run came to end as Warrington Wolves claimed the points in a pulsating game at the H.J. Stadium.

The Warriors were putting their 13 match winning run in all competitions on the line as they faced their stiffest test in a long while.

Warrington were virtually at full strength as they needed the win to keep up their hopes of finishing top of the ladder.

Both teams went at each other from the start but it was the visitors who gained the upper hand as they had three successive sets of six.

The Wolves withstood the onslaught and took the lead on 7 minutes when veteran Stand-Off Lee Briers superb short pass got England back rower Ben Westwood over the whitewash.

It was now all Warrington and Hodgson fell agonisingly short of a second score, but the pressure eventually told and Joel Monaghan extended the lead on the half hour when he touched down Brier’s grubber kick.

Hodgson could not add the extras but for the first time this year Wigan were shut out in the first half as host led 10-0 at the interval.

With Coach Shaun Wane stern half time words in their ears, the Warriors flew out of the blocks in the second half and immediately cut the deficit.  Sam Tomkins-who is rumoured to be heading to the New Zealand Warriors next year- stretched out his right arm to ground the ball over the line on 43 minutes.

Warrington were now under pressure and they cracked again moments later as Wigan passed the ball along the line and Tomkins superb pass put  in Anthony Gelling at the corner.  The ever reliable Pat Richards booted the conversion to give the Warriors a 12-10 lead.

Wigan continued to take control and looked to be holding on when in the last six minutes of the game Warrington found away to hit-back.

Chris Riley broke free down the left wing and kicked ahead for man-of-the-match Mickey Higham to dive on the loose ball to put the Wolves back into the lead.

The match was then put to bed when Chris Hill powered over next to the posts in the dying seconds as Warrington cut the gap on the League leaders, who suffered their first defeat since losing at Leeds in March.

 Super League Ladder after Round 19