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 recuperated 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 eventually secured the points thanks to a Deon Cross attempt in the last 5 minutes.


Earlier scores from Shane Wright, Curtis Sironen, Tristan Sailor and Kyle Feldt assisted see off the Bulls, who played the bulk of the second half with 12 males after Eliot Peposhi's dismissal.


A 3rd straight win moves Saints level on points with second-place Warrington, while Bradford remain fifth having won two and lost two of their very first 4 video games back in the top tier.


Wigan subdue Toulouse to preserve 100% start


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


3rd shot of the season put Saints in front early however the visitors reacted brilliantly to lead by the break.


An ideal grubber kick from Luke Hooley set up 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 career look.


The Bulls made the additional male count, and repeated through Connor Wynne to stretch the lead to 6.


At the other end, Esan Marsters produced an exceptional last-ditch tackle to stop the hosts levelling things up.


A terrific breakaway score from Wynne offered the Bulls a 12-point lead shortly after the reboot, before the St Helens fightback began.


Tries in fast succession from Sironen and Sailor - the previous confirmed following an evaluation - brought the hosts back level and when Peposhi was sent moments later on it looked as though there would just be one winner.


Feldt's score certainly recommended 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 when more through Andy Ackers.


The Bradford backline stood strong for almost 10 minutes, including requiring the ball out of play with St Helens looking certain to score in the corner thanks to the work of five protectors.


Cross, however, 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've got a little character in the group, so that's great to see. All of us think that's a non-negotiable, but it's not constantly obvious in all groups, so that box is ticked.


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


"It's getting progressively difficult with all the pieces in all the locations that we have actually got, but 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 groups are in Challenge Cup action next week.


St Helens check 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)