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Super League XVIII - Round 4 Review
Bradford Bulls 10
Tries: Kearney, Kear
Goals: Foster
St Helens 36
Tries: Lomax 3, Manu, Laffranchi, Puletua, Gardner
Goals: Wheeler 4
Att: 8,203
St Helens looked back to their ruthless best as they dispatched Bradford Bulls at the Provident Stadium Odsal.
After a stuttering start to the season for Saints, Coach Nathan Brown was looking to get his season up and running against a Bulls side who had won both of their previous home games this year.
Jonnie Lomax was switched to full-back in the absent of Paul Wellens and this paid dividends from the start as on two minutes he scored the opening try of the game. Five minutes later Willie Manu added a second, his first for Saints, when he broke thorugh the home defence.
It got even better for the visitors when prop Anthony Laffranchi took James Roby's short pass to make it 16-0 after 13 minutes. It was now all one-way traffic as Bradford could not get into the game and worse was to follow as Lomax took Jon Wilkin ' pass to go over for his second try of the game.
After getting their first penalty, in the 30th minute the Bulls put some pressure on and should have got on the scoreboard but both Matty Blythe and Jarrod Sammut missed good chances. Saints weathered the mini revival and hit back to lead 26-0 at half time when prop Tony Puletua twisted his way out of a three-man tackle to touchdown.
In the early stages of the second half, Bradford finally took an opportunity as Blythe set up Brett Kearney but the comeback was short lived as the visitors continued their dominance.
Lomax supported a break down the wing by Francis Meli to go over for a well deserved hat-trick. Winger Ade Gardner sealed an emphatic St Helens win by adding their seventh try.
The Bulls who were well beaten at least had the final say with a last minute consolation from Elliot Kear and a conversion from former St Helens favourite Jamie Foster but they were never in the game as Saints warmed up nicely ahead of next week's visit from Champions Leeds Rhinos to Langtree Park.
Hull FC 10
Tries: Westerman, Crooks
Goals: Crooks
Warrington Wolves 24
Tries: Riley 2, J Monaghan 2, Higham
Goals: Hodgson 2
Att: 10,712
Warrington Wolves turned in a strong second half performance over Hull FC at the KC Stadium, to claim their first away win of the campaign.
The unbeaten Wolves were looking for a first away win this year after drawing their last outing at Wigan. For Hull they were looking to keep up their proud home record in which they have not suffered a defeat at the KC since April last year.
The first half was a battle as both teams strong forward packs went at each other. Warrington took the lead after four minutes as in typical style they moved the ball quickly from right tom left for winger Chris Riley to score out wide. Brett Hodgson missed a difficult conversion.
Hull kept in the game with some good defence and turned things round to lead 6-4. Danny Houghton set up Joe Westerman for the try with a superb short pass that the big loose forward charged onto. Ben Crooks added the extras .It should have been better for the hosts as they came close twice to adding to their narrow lead but they missed out and had to settle for a two point advantage at the interval.
As both teams cancelled each other out in the third quarter the deadlock was finally broken on the 60-minute mark as Stefan Ratchford's high kick hung in the air for Joel Monaghan to leap high and give the Wolves a 10-6 lead.
Suddenly, Warrington found extra gear and took the gaem away from Hull. Chris Hill's offload found Riley and he went over in the corner for his second score of the night. Michael Monaghan then made an initial break and two plays later Mickey Higham scored under the posts, Hodgson added the extras and it was game over as the lead went out to 20-6.
Joel Monaghan collected Richard Myler's kick to make it a double before the Black and Whites reduced the gap with a Ben Crooks late consolation try but it was the Wolves night who remained unbeaten with three wins and a draw so far this year.
Wigan Warriors 48
Tries: Thornley 2, Charnley 2, McIlorum, O'Loughlin, Tomkins, Richards, Green
Goals: Richards 6
London Broncos 18
Tries: Colbon, Dixon, Randall
Goals: Witt 3
Att: 11,590
Wigan Warriors got back to winning ways with a big win over London Broncos at the DW Stadium.
After losing at the Giants last week, Coach Shaun Wane was looking for a better performance form the hosts and they delivered early on as Ian Thornley went over in the corner after good work by Richards, who converted from the touchline.
London missed two good chances before they were punished as a quick passing movement saw Josh Charnley score for the fourth successive game this year. However, the Warriors were reduced to 12 men when Sam Tomkins was sent to the sin bin for dissent.
The visitors made the extra man count as Liam Colbon went over with Michael Witt converting to reduce the deficit to 10-6. Suddenly it was the Broncos dominating and hanks to great offload by Craig Gower Kerion Dixon finished things off to give his side a 12-10 lead.
Back to full complement Wigan regained the lead 16-12 when Michael McIlorum barged over from close range. Back came London, in this see saw half, when Blake Green's kick was charged down by Chad Randall to score. Just before the break the hosts made it 22-16 thanks to skipper Sean O'Loughlin.
It was a one sided second period as the Warriors upped the tempo and blew the Londoners way with five unanswered tries. Tomkins charged into the line to score first, the home sides sixth of the night.
Matt Cook was sent to the sin bin for lying on in the tackle and it was game over for the Broncos when Blake Green scored his first four pointer in Wigan colours
Charnley and Thornley both added another each as the Warriors ran out easy winners.
Castleford Tigers 17
Tries: Thompson, Shenton, Dixon
Goals: Ellis 2
Drop Goal: O'Brien
Catalan Dragons 17
Tries: Duport, Anderson, Blanch
Goals: Bosc 2
Drop Goals: Bosc
Att: 5,205
Castleford Tigers and Catalan Dragons played out a draw at the Wish Communication Stadium.
In their last home game Castleford got the better of Super League champions Leeds and they were looking for the same against the Dragons.
Both teams missed guilt edge chances before the deadlock was broken in the 26th minute as after a good passing movement Vincent Duport crossed in the corner, with Thomas Bosc converting, to give the visitors the lead.
The lead did not last long as Jordan Thompson made an instant impact after coming off the bench to go under the posts with his first touch of the ball. Jamie Ellis levelled the scores but his side could not go on from there and it was the French side who took a 12-6 half-time lead. Louis Anderson latched on to a pass from Leon Pryce for the important try.
At the start of the second half, Catalan got on the front foot but unable to break down some stout home defence who then cut the gap to two as Grant Millington burst through to send Michael Shenton in at the corner.
Now with the confidence ex Rhino Weller Hauraki made the break and on hand was Kirk Dixon to score. Ellis added the extras to give the Tigers a 16-12 advantage with 15 minutes left.
But, the Dragons immediately went on the attack and Damien Blanch score out wide to make it 16-16. Bosc missed the conversion but made amends moments later by kicking a one pointes.
However, Castleford would not be denied and on-loan Warrington Stand-off Gareth O'Brien responded with a drop goal to claim a share of the spoils.
Wakefield Wildcats 16
Tries: Fox, Smith, Cockayne
Goals: Sykes 2
Huddersfield Giants 18
Tries: McGillvary 3
Goals: Brough 3
Att: 8,467
Huddersfield Giants were taken the distance by Wakefield Wildcats as they edged home at the Rapid Solicitors Stadium.
With Super League's only 100% record, the Giants made the perfect start as inform winger Jermaine McGillvary Luke Robinson's cut-out pass to cross. On eight minutes it was 8-0 as that man McGillvary won the race to Scott Grix's grubber kick.
The Wildcats clawed themselves back into the game as Full-back Richard Mathers took advantage of second rower Ali Lauitiiti ' offload to get winger Peter Fox over on 13 minutes. Paul Sykes added the conversion before adding a penalty goal to square things up at 8-8.
Thanks to two penalty goals from Danny Brough, the visitors went into the interval with a 12-8 lead.
After the resumption, the Giants moved further ahead Grix burst clear from David Faiumu's pass and this led to McGillvary taking Robinson's long pass to complete his hat-trick. Brough's third goal made it 18-8.
Wakefield started to get more ball but their handling too often let them down as they struggled to break Huddersfield down. However, the pressure finally told as Ben Cockayne fed centre Lee Smith to score an unconverted try.
Eight minutes from the end Tim Smith's long pass was deflected by defender Leroy Cudjoe and Cockayne was on hand to score the all important try.
Unfortunately, Sykes was again off target with the conversion, but Wakefield thought they had snatched victory in the final minute when Lee Smith took Tim Smith's short pass, but the final pass was ruled forward as Huddersfield held on to their 100% start to the campaign.
Salford City Reds 38
Tries: Gibson 2, Sneyd, Dixon, Murphy, Godwin, Williams
Goals: Sneyd 5
Hull KR 34
Tries: D Hodgson, Dobson 2, Caro, Eden 2
Goals: Dobson 5
Att: 1,989
Salford City Reds claimed their first win of the season after coming from 20 points behind, in the second half, to defeat Hull KR at the Salford City Stadium.
Salford, without a win this year gave debuts to centre Martin Gleeson and on-loan Leeds prop Darrell Griffin. But it was Rovers who made the bright start and took lead on seven minutes when Michael Dobson and Greg Eden combined to send David Hodgson over in the corner against his former club.
Dobson made it 12-0 before Salford hit back with Mark Sneyd's long pass finding Ashley Gibson who cut inside to score and then he made it a double by showing some good footwork. Sneyd was target with the conversion but he made amends as he stole the ball off Eden to dart over and kick the City Reds into a 14-12 lead.
Eden made amends when he took Cory Paterson's smart pass to send Dobson streaking over within a minute to restore the visitors lead and it became 24-14 at the break as speedy winger Omari Caro took a great pass from Eden.
Eden now heavily involved in the game made it 30-14 , four minutes after the resumption as he collected Dobson's pass to round Jack Murphy and then notched his second shortly after to effectively put Rovers out of sight.
However, battling Salford had other ideas as Andrew Dixon pulled one back and then with Murphy's converted try on the hour the gap was down to 34-26
Now in the ascendancy it was no surprise when Wayne Godwin burrowed over from dummy half and with Sneyd's conversion it was game on.
Eight minutes from time the remarkable comeback was complete as Ryan McGoldrick's kick bounced nicely for Danny Williams to score the decisive try.
Caro missed a golden chance for Hull KR before in the last seconds of the game a fight broke out at a scrum with both Lee Jewitt for Salford and Adam Walker for Hull KR shown red cards as the City Reds completed their first win in ten games.
Due to their participation in Friday's World Club Challenge against NRL premiers the Melbourne Storm, the Leeds Rhinos Round 4 match against the Widnes Vikings will be played in June. Leeds lost the Challenge 18-14 to the Storm.