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 recovered from an early second-half deficit to tape a hard-fought Super League success over Bradford Bulls.


The hosts discovered themselves 12 points behind just after the break, however ultimately protected the points thanks to a Deon Cross try in the final 5 minutes.


Earlier scores from Shane Wright, Curtis Sironen, and Kyle Feldt helped see off the Bulls, who played the majority of the second half with 12 men after Eliot Peposhi's dismissal.


A 3rd straight win relocations Saints level on points with second-place Warrington, while Bradford remain 5th having actually won 2 and lost 2 of their very first four games back in the top tier.


Wigan subdue Toulouse to keep 100% start


This was the very first Super League meeting in 12 years for the 2 sides, who objected to the competitors's Grand Final in 1999 and 2002, and proved to be a gripping battle.


Wright's 3rd try of the season put Saints in front early on but 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 out to the sin bin in his 300th career appearance.


The Bulls made the extra man count, and went over once again through Connor Wynne to stretch the lead to 6.


At the other end, Esan Marsters produced an excellent last-ditch tackle 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 started.


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


Feldt's rating certainly recommended it would be one-way traffic, only for the Bulls to make the most of a Saints sin-binning - this time for Joe Shorrock - and enter front once again through Andy Ackers.


The Bradford backline stood strong for almost 10 minutes, including forcing the ball out of have fun with St Helens looking particular to score in the corner thanks to the work of 5 defenders.


Cross, however, slipped through in the closing stages to secure the win, and extend the Bulls' await 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 excellent to see. All of us think that's a non-negotiable, but it's not constantly apparent in all groups, so that box is ticked.


"I believe we have discovered a method to win in regards to we have actually got a scattering of how I 'd like us to play.


"It's getting significantly hard with all the pieces in all the locations that we've got, however 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 teams 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)