St Helens Recover To Beat Spirited Bradford

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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 tape-record a hard-fought Super League triumph over Bradford Bulls.


The hosts discovered themselves 12 points behind simply after the break, but eventually secured the points thanks to a Deon Cross try in the last five minutes.


Earlier ratings from Shane Wright, Curtis Sironen, Tristan Sailor and Kyle Feldt helped see off the Bulls, who played most of the second half with 12 guys after Eliot Peposhi's termination.


A third straight win relocations Saints level on points with second-place Warrington, while Bradford remain 5th having won 2 and lost 2 of their first four games back in the leading tier.


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This was the first Super League conference in 12 years for the two sides, who objected to the competitors's Grand Final in 1999 and 2002, and proved to be a gripping struggle.


Wright's 3rd shot of the season put Saints in front early however the visitors reacted remarkably to lead by the break.


A best 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 profession look.


The Bulls made the extra male count, and repeated through Connor Wynne to stretch the result in 6.


At the other end, Esan Marsters produced an deal with to stop the hosts levelling things up.


A fantastic breakaway score from Wynne offered the Bulls a 12-point lead soon after the restart, before the St Helens fightback began.


Tries in fast succession from Sironen and Sailor - the former confirmed following a review - brought the hosts back level and when Peposhi was sent off moments later it looked as though there would only be one winner.


Feldt's score certainly suggested it would be one-way traffic, only for the Bulls to take benefit of 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 nearly 10 minutes, consisting of requiring the ball out of play with St Helens looking certain to score in the corner thanks to the work of five defenders.


Cross, nevertheless, slipped through in the closing stages to secure the win, and extend the Bulls' wait on an away success at Saints to 17 years.


St Helens head coach Paul Rowley:


"I think we have actually got a bit of character in the group, so that's good to see. We all think that's a non-negotiable, however it's not constantly apparent in all teams, so that box is ticked.


"I think we have discovered 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 hard with all the pieces in all the places that we have actually got, however we are scoring some shots 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 are in Challenge Cup action next week.


St Helens go to Castleford on Saturday, 14 March (18:00 GMT), while Bradford travel to Super League table-toppers Wigan Warriors on Friday, 13 March (20:00)