Saints are out of the Betfred Challenge Cup following a 20-12 defeat to Warrington Wolves at the Halliwell Jones Stadium...
First Half
Saints had the first chance within the opening four minutes. A high shot on Matt Whitley within the Warrington ten gave Saints a penalty and the visitors opted to run it. A few tackles in, we went left and Mark Percival was dragged into touch.
Warrington tried to respond. An error from Saints inside our own half gifted the hosts good field position. George Williams tried a chip over the top early in the tackle count but Alex Walmsley did well to claim the bouncing ball.
The hosts took the lead 16 minutes in. Dayon Sambou fumbled a high kick to the corner giving Warrington a set inside our 10. A few tackles in, James Harrison got an offload away, Marc Sneyd shifted the ball right to Williams who found Matt Dufty who broke through the defence to open the scoring. Sneyd converted, 6-0 Saints trailed.
Saints lost Curtis Sironen for a HIA shortly after, with his replacement Jake Wingfield then forced off after his first carry following another hit to the head. Sironen returned to the game, Wingfield did not.
We then had a trip to the video referee. Jonny Lomax chipped over the top and there was a race to the loose ball underneath the sticks, with Tristan Sailor winning the race to it but Dufty’s boot stopped the ball from being grounded and Warrington had a seven-tackle set. The visitors then had another HIA, with Mark Percival heading off, not to return so Saints had James Bell now available to call on following two failed assessments.
The video referee was called into action again just before the break. Saints kept the ball alive on the last tackle, Lomax put a great kick in under the posts and Sailor won the race to it and this time grounded it. Jon Bennison converted from in front, 6-6 it was tied.
🤩 Right into the hands of Sailor!
🫡 That makes it square for @Saints1890 and @WarringtonRLFC #ChallengeCup pic.twitter.com/fsnTMIEJkD
— Betfred Challenge Cup (@TheChallengeCup) April 6, 2025
Saints tried to go ahead just before the break, Warrington claiming the ball on their own line as we headed into half-time level at 6-6.
⏸ All square in the Quarter Final at the Halliwell Jones Stadium
Live Match Centre
➡ https://t.co/hk0evUF9fv#COYS | @LPL_Airport pic.twitter.com/RBLSZCenCK— St.Helens R.F.C. (@Saints1890) April 6, 2025
Second Half
Warrington had a great chance to re-claim the lead. Ashton broke down the left edge and was 1 on 1 against Welsby who did well to halt his progress and drag him towards the touchline. Saints saw the rest of the set out before the referee blew for offside as Saints claimed the kick on the last tackle and broke the other way. Warrington opted for two and Sneyd gave them the lead again, 8-6.
We had a trip upstairs ten minutes into the second half. Saints shifted the ball through the hands from right to left, Joe Batchelor cut inside from the left edge and tried to reach out but the ball went to ground.
The hosts had another good chance to extend their lead. First, Dufty had a gap that he tried to exploit down the right edge but he was forced to offload out of a tackle. The following tackle they shifted it left but the final pass to Ashton was ruled forward as he looked to score in the corner.
A try did follow though. Williams put an early chip over the top which Saints allowed to bounce, Ben Currie claimed it and scored under the sticks. Sneyd made it a two-score game with the conversion, 14-6 Warrington led.
Shortly after, we had another trip upstairs. Saints kept the ball alive on the last tackle, Bennison’s kick on the wing was fumbled by Warrington, Saints claimed it and Daryl Clark dove over to score from close range, colliding with the posts in the process. Bennison converted, 14-12.
🔴 @Saints1890 come right behind and close that gap with a try from Clark#ChallengeCup pic.twitter.com/lLeNxLCRUb
— Betfred Challenge Cup (@TheChallengeCup) April 6, 2025
Again, Warrington had another golden chance to increase their lead. Ashton broke down the left edge and again found himself one-on-one against Welsby but again he couldn’t get past the Saints fullback. Saints defending well to see out the rest of the set.
Warrington grabbed their third try with just over ten minutes to go. A loose pass from Saints in attack gave Warrington the ball back, a few tackles into their set they shifted the ball right and Williams broke through a gap and raced half the length of the field to score. Sneyd converted, 20-12.
Saints had some late chance but weren’t able to get back into it, as we exit the Betfred Challenge Cup at the Quarter-Final stage following a 20-12 defeat at the Halliwell Jones Stadium.
⏹ The Saints exit the 2025 Challenge Cup at the Quarter Final stage#COYS | @LPL_Airport pic.twitter.com/aLyjJv6Gxi
— St.Helens R.F.C. (@Saints1890) April 6, 2025
Match Summary
Warrington Wolves Team: Matt Dufty, Arron Lindop, Ben Currie, Rodrick Tai, Matty Ashton, Marc Sneyd, George Williams, Zane Musgrove, Danny Walker, Paul Vaughan, Adam Holroyd, Lachlan Fitzgibbon, James Harrison.
Interchanges: Sam Powell, Luke Yates, Joe Philbin, Jordan Crowther.
18th Man: Jake Thewlis.
Tries: Matt Dufty (16), Ben Currie (55), George Williams (70)
Conversions: Marc Sneyd (3 from 3)
Penalties: Marc Sneyd (1 from 1)
Saints Team: Jack Welsby, Jon Bennison, Matt Whitley, Mark Percival, Dayon Sambou, Tristan Sailor, Jonny Lomax, Alex Walmsley, Moses Mbye, Matty Lees, Curtis Sironen, Joe Batchelor, Morgan Knowles.
Interchanges: Daryl Clark, Agnatius Paasi, Jake Wingfield, George Delaney.
18th Man: James Bell.
Tries: Tristan Sailor (37), Daryl Clark (60)
Conversions: Jon Bennison (2 from 2)
HT: 6-6
FT: 20-12
Attendance: 10,114
