St Helens 40, Warrington 34 (half-time: 18-14): Penny drops and Saints recall how to win
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Your support makes all the difference.The longest hoodoo in the game remains in place after the two sides of Kevin Penny left Warrington wondering where a win at Saints is coming from.
The Wolves looked capable of ending their 14-year wait for a win at Knowsley Road, partly thanks to a sensational try from the 20-year-old winger, but a blunder from Penny helped Saints regain control as they scored three tries in six minutes to go into the Challenge Cup quarter-final draw.
The Wolves suffered a double blow as Martin Gleeson was laid low by a virus and, after five minutes, Stuart Reardon went off with an achilles injury. They struck back, though, with a try from their captain, Adrian Morley, who celebrated his 31st birthday by taking Michael Monaghan's pass and powering over.
They would have scored again but for Ade Gardner knocking down Louis Anderson's pass, but they came away with two points from Chris Hicks.
Mark Gleeson's forward pass and Lee Briers' missed tackle on Willie Talau got Saints started. Two minutes later, Keiron Cunningham and Paul Wellens sent in Chris Flannery. Warrington drew level when Paul Johnson slipped a pass to Hicks, whose third goal then gave them the lead. Saints were back in front by half-time, though, after Meli ran on to Wellens' pass.
Another wonderful pass from Johnson to Hicks tied the scores five minutes after the break. Saints then ran two penalties and Leon Pryce put Gardner in.
Penny took Hicks' pass 10 metres from his own line and ran down the left touchline to score, another Hicks goal putting the Wolves back in the lead. However, Talau gave Saints the advantage and Penny then coughed up the ball for Matt Gidley to put Paul Clough in and Lee Gilmour raced in after grabbing a bouncing ball.
That made it all look rather clear cut, even when Ben Westwood and Simon Grix scored for the Wolves in the last minutes.
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