St Helens Recover To Beat Spirited Bradford
192 Comments
St Helens (4) 26
Tries: Wright, Sironen, Sailor, Feldt, Cross Goals: Hastings
Bradford (10) 22
Tries: Ryan, Wynne 2, Ackers Goals: Hooley
St Helens recuperated from an early second-half deficit to record a hard-fought Super League success over Bradford Bulls.
The hosts discovered themselves 12 points behind simply after the break, but ultimately protected the points thanks to a Deon Cross attempt in the last 5 minutes.
Earlier scores from Shane Wright, Curtis Sironen, Tristan Sailor and Kyle Feldt see off the Bulls, who played the bulk of the 2nd half with 12 males after Eliot Peposhi's termination.
A 3rd straight win relocations Saints level on points with second-place Warrington, while Bradford stay 5th having actually won 2 and lost two of their first 4 games back in the leading tier.
Wigan overpower Toulouse to maintain 100% start
This was the first Super League conference in 12 years for the 2 sides, who contested the competitors's Grand Final in 1999 and 2002, and showed to be a gripping struggle.
Wright's 3rd shot of the season put Saints in front early but the visitors responded remarkably to lead by the break.
A perfect grubber kick from Luke Hooley established Ethan Ryan to level the ratings up, and Hooley then kicked his side in front after David Klemmer was sent to the sin bin in his 300th career look.
The Bulls made the additional male count, and repeated through Connor Wynne to extend the cause 6.
At the other end, Esan Marsters produced an exceptional last-ditch deal with to stop the hosts levelling things up.
A wonderful breakaway rating from Wynne gave the Bulls a 12-point lead soon after the reboot, before the St Helens fightback began.
Tries in fast succession from Sironen and Sailor - the previous confirmed following a review - brought the hosts back level and when Peposhi was sent moments later it looked as though there would only be one winner.
Feldt's score certainly suggested it would be one-way traffic, just for the Bulls to benefit from a Saints sin-binning - this time for Joe Shorrock - and enter front as soon as more through Andy Ackers.
The Bradford backline stood strong for almost 10 minutes, including requiring the ball out of play with St Helens looking particular to score in the corner thanks to the work of 5 protectors.
Cross, however, slipped through in the closing phases to protect the win, and extend the Bulls' wait on an away success at Saints to 17 years.
St Helens head coach Paul Rowley:
"I believe we have actually got a bit of character in the team, so that's great to see. All of us think that's a non-negotiable, but it's not constantly evident in all groups, so that box is ticked.
"I think we have found a way to win in regards to we have actually got a sprinkling of how I 'd like us to play.
"It's getting significantly difficult with all the pieces in all the locations that we have actually got, but we are scoring some tries and digging deep."
St Helens: Sailor; Feldt, MacDonald, Cross, Murphy; Whitby, Hastings; Delaney, Clark, Klemmer; Sironen, Wright, Shorrocks
Interchanges: Host, Robertson, Whitley, Stephens
Bradford: Aekins; Wynne, Marsters, Blake, Ryan; Hooley, Milnes; Chamberlain, Mellor, Fulton; Sutton, Ackers, Lewis
Interchanges: Doro, Douglas, Hallas, Peposhi
What's Next?
Both of these groups remain in Challenge Cup action next week.
St Helens visit Castleford on Saturday, 14 March (18:00 GMT), while Bradford travel to Super League table-toppers Wigan Warriors on Friday, 13 March (20:00)