St Helens 34 Warrington 22: Late Gardner try snuffs out Warrington's victory hopes
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Your support makes all the difference."We've not played well as a team for a few weeks, but that was a team performance," said Saints' coach, Daniel Anderson, after his side had put last week's defeat at Huddersfield behind them.
Warrington's Paul Cullen said indiscipline in the first half had cost them the game, "but to come back and play like we did in the second was an outstanding effort".
Warrington had never won at Knowsley Road in 10 years of Super League, but they must have looked at a much-changed St Helens team last night and thought they were in with a chance.
After Jamie Lyon had put Saints ahead with a penalty, the Wolves scored their first try with Michael Sullivan bursting through a two-man tackle on the line. Saints survived more pressure when Sean Long put his kick-off into touch. After 13 minutes, however, it was Long's cross-field kick that was won by Lee Gilmour to put Saints back in the lead.
Just after the half-hour Saints' James Roby burst out of dummy half on a 40-metre run, Matty Smith provided the link, and Gilmour went over for his second try. Five minutes later, Gilmour was through again but this time passing to give Ade Gardner a walk-in. A devastating few minutes was completed when Leon Pryce got the ball away to Long and Vinnie Anderson was in support to score.
Fa'afili got one back for Warrington at the start of the second half and there was a real hint of an upset when Brent Grose got away a miracle pass for Richie Barnett to go in. Ten minutes later Barnett was awarded a penalty try as he was pulled back trying to touch down his own kick.
Lyon kicked a penalty to take Saints' lead back to six, and as Warrington tried one last frantic attack Gardner picked off Stuart Reardon's pass to run the length of the field and Saints were home.
St Helens: Hardman, Anderson, Lyon, Gilmour, Gardner, Pryce, Long, Cayless, Cunningham, Fozzard, Wilkin, Sculthorpe, Hooper. Substitutes used: Graham, Roby, Clough, Smith.
Warrington: Reardon, Fa'afili, Martin Gleeson, Grose, Barnett, Briers, Sullivan, Rauhihi, Mark Gleeson, Leikvoll, Wainwright, Swann, Westwood. Substitutes used: Noone, Wood, Bracek, Hilton.
Referee: R Silverwood (Mirfield).
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