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 record a hard-fought Super League triumph over Bradford Bulls.
The hosts discovered themselves 12 points behind just after the break, but eventually secured the points thanks to a Deon Cross try in the final five minutes.
Earlier scores from Shane Wright, Curtis Sironen, Tristan Sailor and Kyle Feldt assisted see off the Bulls, who played most of the second half with 12 guys after Eliot Peposhi's termination.
A 3rd straight win relocations Saints level on points with second-place Warrington, while Bradford stay fifth having won 2 and lost two of their first four video games back in the leading tier.
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This was the first Super League conference in 12 years for the 2 sides, who objected to the competitors's Grand Final in 1999 and 2002, and showed to be a gripping struggle.
Wright's third try of the season put Saints in front at an early stage but the visitors responded remarkably to lead by the break.
A best grubber kick from Luke Hooley established Ethan Ryan to level ball games up, and Hooley then kicked his side in front after David Klemmer was sent to the sin bin in his 300th profession appearance.
The Bulls made the additional man count, and went over once again through Connor Wynne to extend the result in 6.
At the other end, Esan Marsters produced an outstanding desperate deal with to stop the hosts levelling things up.
A terrific breakaway score from Wynne provided the Bulls a 12-point lead shortly after the restart, before the St Helens fightback began.
Tries in quick succession from Sironen and Sailor - the previous validated following an evaluation - brought the hosts back level and when Peposhi was sent minutes later it looked as though there would just be one winner.
Feldt's score definitely suggested it would be one-way traffic, just 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, 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, however, slipped through in the closing stages 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 think we have actually got a little bit of character in the group, so that's excellent to see. All of us think that's a non-negotiable, however it's not constantly evident in all groups, so that box is ticked.
"I think we have found a method to win in regards to we have actually got a sprinkling of how I 'd like us to play.
"It's getting increasingly difficult 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 out Castleford on Saturday, 14 March (18:00 GMT), while Bradford travel to Super League table-toppers Wigan Warriors on Friday, 13 March (20:00)