Saints battle past Wigan
Sean Long scored on his last home appearance for the Saints
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By Huw Davies. |  |
Saturday, 03, Oct 2009 09:35
By Tom Powell.
St Helens hung on to beat Wigan Warriors 14-10 and book their place in the Grand Final to take on the Leeds Rhinos.
St Helens led 10-6 at the break thanks to scores from Francis Meli and Sean Long with the Warriors' reply coming from George Carmont.
Meli's second try but the hosts in control in the second half but a Pat Richards try made for a nervous last ten minutes.
It took just 90 seconds for St Helens to take the lead. Kyle Eastmond raced down the touchline and fed Meli who crossed in the corner for the opening score.
The Warriors went close to a quick reply when Richards touched down in the corner but he was adjudged to have put a foot in touch first.
They had the lead though on 23 minutes when a hanging Sam Tomkins kick was tapped back by Richards and collected by Carmont who crossed under the posts. Richards' conversion put his side 6-4 up.
Meli almost had the Saints back in the lead but was adjudged to have put a hand in touch before touching down in the corner.
A try on in his last appearance at Knowsley Road was in the script and Long obliged to put his side back in front.
The soon to be Hull player dummied, stepped and twisted his way over the line on 36 minutes. Eastmond's conversion made the half-time score 10-6.
The Saints came out all guns blazing and finally penetrated the Warriors defence for their third try after a prolonged period of pressure.
Long threw a long pass to winger Meli who finished expertly for his 17th try of the season to make it 14-6 with 49 minutes on the clock.
The Warriors upped the tempo but couldn't find a way through a stubborn St Helens defence, O'Loughlin and Roberts both coming within inches of getting Wigan back in the game.
With ten minutes to go they finally broke through the Saints defence with a length of the field try to reduce the deficit to four points.
Joel Tomkins broke away and fed Carmont before the ball made its way to Richards who gathered his own chip kick and grounded the ball in the corner.
But it came all too late for the Warriors as the Saints ran down the clock to reach Old Trafford to take on the Rhinos for the third successive year.