St Helens extend lead at top with comeback to win at Warrington

Nothing is won at this time of the year but for St Helens this was a significant step towards leg one of a treble. The Saints are now eight points clear at the Super League summit with nine games remaining after surviving a ferocious battle with second-placed Warrington to move a step closer to a second successive League Leader’s Shield.

They were in some battle here, though. For over an hour neither side could register a try in undoubtedly the game of the season so far. Prior to that three penalties from the boot of Declan Patton either side of half-time had given the hosts a 6-0 lead that looked plentiful.

But St Helens, under the studious guidance of Justin Holbrook, do not know when they are beaten. “That was as good as it gets,” Holbrook said, after witnessing his side survive a brutal encounter in which their young hooker, Aaron Smith, was taken to hospital with a neck injury following a clash with Sitaleki Akauola in the first two minutes which left Holbrook unhappy with the Tongan’s ball-carrying technique. “He’s got an issue we as a game need to fix,” he said.

The Wolves’ defence had done a sterling job in the opening hour but the sin-binning of Jack Hughes for Warrington proved decisive. Two minutes later the Saints opened their account through Mark Percival. Then, with nine minutes remaining, Luke Thompson underlined why he is being courted by some of Australia’s best clubs after collecting a loose ball and racing through to put the visitors ahead for the first time.

That try came directly from an error by the Warrington full-back, Jake Mamo, and, though he atoned for that with a try in a frantic few minutes, by then Lachlan Coote had opened up a two-score lead for the first time with a drop goal. Mamo’s try briefly made it 10-13 but, with two minutes remaining, the result was put beyond doubt when Alex Walmsley crashed over from close range

Warrington: Mamo; Charnley, King, Goodwin, Lineham; Austin, Patton; Hill, Clark, Cooper, Currie, Hughes, Akauola. Interchange: Clark, Tasi, Philbin, Davis Tries: Mamo Goals: Patton 3

St Helens: Coote; Makinson, Naiqama, Percival, Grace; Lomax, Fages; Walmsley, Smith, Thompson, McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Knowles, Peyroux. Interchange: Paulo, Amor, Lees, Bentley Tries: Percival, Thompson, Walmsley Goals: Coote 4 Drop goal: Coote

Referee: B Thaler Attendance: 14,211

source: theguardian.com