St Helens come through tough Warrington challenge
Sean Long was the star of the show again
Saturday, 10, May 2008 09:02
Defending champions St Helens overcame a fighting Warrington Wolves side to win 40-34 in an absorbing Challenge Cup tie and reach the quarter-finals.
In an action-packed match, the two teams scored a total of 13 tries, but it was a five minute second-half burst from St Helens in which they scored three tries through Willie Talau, Paul Clough and Lee Gilmour that won them the game.
Warrington were the overwhelming underdogs coming into the game, but they took a deserved early lead through Adrian Morley. The Great Britain star barged his way through Saints full-back Paul Wellens from three yards out to score. Chris Hicks added the extras.
The Wolves failed to hold onto the lead for long as they gave away a penalty in their own half and St Helens managed to work the ball to Talau on the left-wing and he evaded a poor challenge from Lee Briers to score.
Too many Warrington players were then guilty of being attracted to the ball when the Saints were in possession and Chris Flannery eased his way through a hole in the Warrington defence to score. Sean Long converted both tries.
Paul Johnson, who was a late replacement for the injured Martin Gleeson in the Warrington line-up, earned his place as his cheeky pass out the back of the hand allowed Hicks to score the try.
But it was St Helens who led 18-14 at half-time as winger Francis Meli crossed the try-line and man-of-the-match Long added the two points.
The lead changed a number of times in the second-half, as the Wolves first reclaimed the lead as another brilliant Johnson pass saw Hicks score his second try. But Ade Gardener then scored for Saints as they went back in the lead.
Warrington then scored the try of the match as Hicks went on a mazy 30 yard run before passing to Kenny Penney who side-stepped Long to score the try.
But St Helens then forged into 40-24 lead with three tries in five minutes as first Talau crossed over, before 20-year-old Penney fumbled the ball on his try-line which allowed Paul Clough to score. Lee Glmour scored the third try by weaving his way through a tired Warrington defence.
Warrington scored two late tries through Ben Westwood and Simon Grix, but ran out of time in their search for another try which would have taken the game into extra time.