Saints » Results

Saints comfortably eased past Hull KR 52-10 to stretch their winning streak to nine.

Led by the excellent centre-wing partnership of Matt Gidley and Ade Gardner, they put pay to any notion of revenge after last week’s Challenge Cup win over the same side.

The men in Red Vee ‘laid on the pain’ for The Robins in a sparkling first half performance, which saw five converted tries, including a double from the ‘G-Force’.

The second half was a little ‘after the Lord Mayor’s Show’ compared to the blistering opening 40, but coupled with Hull’s resolve and some excellent Saints defence, Leon Pryce, Willie Talau and Paul Wellens still had time to get on the scoresheet and Ade Gardner grab his hat-trick.

On a nice summer’s day, Club Captain Paul Sculthorpe returned after a pectoral injury with Lee Gilmour taking a well-earned rest after his wonderful defensive performance last Sunday.

Francis Meli made his 200^th first grade appearance, alongside Matt Gidley who knocked up 300.

Even more remarkably, Keiron Cunningham made his 450^th first grade appearance.

Jon Steel and Jason Netherton were the only changes for Hull KR for the second meeting between the two teams in six days.

Long tested the Hull defence early doors but his towering bomb was taken well by Shaun Briscoe.

But it was the Robins that threatened the Saints’ line first as Vella and Walker charged at the Saints’ line following a penalty. Briscoe went close before Dobson got the ball out to Peter Fox. Gladly, Meli got a touch to the ball and the chance was lost.

Three minutes in and Wilkin was caught high by Clint Newton. From the tap Saints went close but Flannery couldn’t take advantage.

Seconds later a tricky kick from Long was taken well under pressure by Peter Fox.

Meli and Talau then combined to make sure a promising move from Newton was snuffed out.

On 13 minutes, Chris Flannery went off with a knock to the knee, with Paul Clough coming on.

Saints finally got on the scoreboard when promising field position was converted into points. The ball was driven in by Clough, then spread to Pryce and Gidley who combined to send in Gardner for his 16^th of the season. Long perfect with the extras.

It was a nice pass from Gidley who opened the overlap up by taking on Dobson.

Saints were beginning to find their feet and after Clough drove Saints within metres once more, they sniffed more points. Cayless went close but was brought to ground by Gene. The ball then went Gidley once more who produced a beautiful back flip pass to send in Gardner for his second.

Long nailing the conversion from the touchline again to make it 12-0 after 20 minutes.

From the restart, Cayless took the ball in hard and was clocked high and late by Clint Newton who then cowardly caught him on the floor across the face with the forearm. The big man stretchered from the field with a leg injury and Newton placed on report. Initial prognosis is medial knee ligament damage.

Saints punished Hull in exactly the manner they know how. From a penalty Sculthorpe took the line on and created the space for Matt Gidley to scamper over for another try. Long again majestic with the boot to make it 18-0.

On 26 minutes, Saints were back on Hull territory but the ball went to ground and a great covering tackle by Pryce stopped Jake Webster going the full length of the field.

Pryce then made a wonderful break when he stepped inside but Sean Long just couldn’t haul the ball in on the way to the line.

But Saints weren’t to be outdone as Maurie Fa’asavalu charged onto the ball bumping his way over to his second try in successive games. Long with the two-pointer.

On 35 minutes, Saints got themselves once again into Hull territory. On the last tackle, a nicely improvised kick from Wilkin put Fox under pressure – and the youngster knocked on.

From the scrum, Clough took the ball in before Pryce worked the ball to Gidley who took on the line, dummied Dobson and Steel, then went over for his second. Long made it five from five from the same area once again.

Half Time: Saints 30 Hull KR 0

Hull started off the second half with a towering kick that Meli knocked dead. They then had 12 tackles on Saints’ line, which their opposition defended manfully.

But it was Saints that got the first score of the half thanks to a bit of opportunism from Jon Wilkin. As Michael Dobson kicked on the last tackle, the former Robin flew off the Saints’ line, charged down the ball, caught it then scampered up the field finally feeding Pryce for his ninth of the season. Long again perfect with the boot.

With an hour gone, any thoughts Saints would take their foot off the gas were blown out of the water as a kick through was pushed dead by Meli’s fingertips.

But from the drop out, referee Phil Bentham awarded two penalties and Vella combined with Cooke to stretch over. Cooke missing an easy extra two points.

Briscoe then burrowed over to make the scoreline look a little respectable, with Cooke converting, but Gardner notched up his hat-trick - thanks to the excellent Sculthorpe and Gidley.

Talau then scored his 60^th try for the Club and Paul Wellens brought up the 50 after a characteristically fantastic run from Keiron Cunningham.

"It was an energetic performance," said Saints' Head Coach Daniel Anderson, "and we looked the part from the start. We showed our experience in how to back up from a tough game.

"Matt Gidley has been outstanding all year but has been giving his tries to Gardner. It was good to see him score. Our left hand side gave Hull a torrid time all evening. Scully got through a lot of work and I thought Paul Clough was excellent too."

He added: "The injuries to Jason and Chris Flannery take the gloss off the performance and we hope that they are not cruciate ligament injuries."

Match Summary

Saints:

Tries: Gardner (3), Gidley (2), Fa’asavalu, Pryce, Talau, Wellens

Goals: Long (7 from 7), Wellens (1 from 2)

Hull KR:

Tries: Vella, Briscoe

Goals: Cooke (1 from 2)

Penalties:

Saints: 14

Hull KR: 8

HT (Sts First): 30-0

FT (Sts First): 52-10

ATT: 8,404

REF: Phil Bentham

Teams:

Saints:

1. Paul Wellens; 2. Ade Gardner, 3. Matt Gidley, 4. Willie Talau, 5. Francis Meli; 6. Leon Pryce, 7. Sean Long; 17. James Graham, 9. Keiron Cunningham, 10. Jason Cayless, 16. Chris Flannery, 12. Jon Wilkin, 13. Paul Sculthorpe.

Subs: 14. James Roby, 18. Bryn Hargreaves, 21. Paul Clough, 23. Maurie Fa’asavalu.

Hull KR:

1. Shaun Briscoe; 2. Peter Fox, 4. Jake Webster, 5. Daniel Fitzhenry, 21. Jon Steel; 6. Paul Cooke, 26. Michael Dobson, 8. Garret Crossman, 9. Ben Fisher, 20. Mick Vella, 11. Clint Newton, 14. Stanley Gene, 3. Chev Walker.

Subs: 10. David Mills, 15. Ben Cockayne, 16. Jason Netherton, 28. Chris Chester.