Warrington Wolves overcome St Helens to complete Challenge Cup semi-final line-up

WARRINGTON WOLVES 20 ST HELENS 12
MARC BAZELEY, Halliwell Jones Stadium, Sunday

SEQUELS rarely live up to the original, but the second part of this springtime trilogy between Warrington and St Helens proved every bit as compelling as last month’s league encounter.

Playing the leading role, as he has so often done since returning to these shores with the Wolves four years ago, was skipper George Williams, as he set up tries from Matt Dufty and Ben Currie either side of half-time and made certain of a semi-final date with Leigh with a stunning solo score inside the final ten minutes.

Converted tries from Tristan Sailor and ex-Warrington hooker Daryl Clark kept Saints in the game, but as with their 14-12 Super League loss in March, the 13-time Challenge Cup winners fell short against the Wolves and bowed out to them at the quarter-final stage for the second year running.

Seeking a sixth-straight win in all competitions against Saints, the cause of last year’s Wembley runners-up was not helped by having rampaging prop Paul Vaughan temporarily forced off with a broken finger and conceding back-to-back penalties in the opening minutes.

The home side’s defence came to the fore to keep St Helens at bay during that period, but the visitors proved just as obdurate until a moment of magic involving Williams and Dufty punished a knock-on from Dayon Sambou close to his own line in the 17th minute.

James Harrison’s offload to Adam Holroyd set the move in motion, with the back-rower flinging a pass left to Williams, followed by the England captain engaging the Saints’ line and deftly flicking the ball back inside for fullback Dufty to race through a gap from just over ten metres out for a try converted by Marc Sneyd.

Dufty was called into the action at the other end as well, with his boot preventing Tristan Sailor from dotting down after Jonny Lomax’s kick ahead had caused a bit of chaos in the Warrington defence.

To make matters worse for Saints, interchange forward Jake Wingfield and centre mainstay Mark Percival failing head-injury assessments led to an enforced reshuffle, yet the introductions of Clark and Agnatius Paasi off the bench injected some urgency into their attack.

The duo laid the groundwork for St Helens’ 38th-minute try with a couple of surging carries, with Lomax then threading a grubber through for halfback partner Sailor to chase and score behind the posts, followed by stand-in goal-kicker Jon Bennison converting.

There was no let-up after the restart either, although a penalty for offside soon after Matty Ashton had been dragged down by Jack Welsby following a burst down the wing allowed Sneyd to kick the Wolves back ahead.

Joe Batchelor’s knock-on and a forward pass by the Wolves saw possible tries chalked off for both teams, but it was advantage Warrington in the 55th minute when Williams put up a kick which was collected by Currie to finish behind the posts.

Sneyd’s conversion push the lead to eight points, but Clark finishing in a similar manner five minutes later and Bennison converting ensured St Helens, who return to the Halliwell Jones Stadium on April 24 in Super League, were not done yet.

However, there was no trademark Saints comeback as Williams broke the line and raced 70 metres for a third Wolves converted try with nine minutes remaining, putting them within touching distance of a return to Wembley.

GAMESTAR: George Williams was involved in all of the key moments in attack for the Wolves, and along with halfback partner Marc Sneyd tested St Helens’ defence with his in-play kicking.

GAMEBREAKER: Williams’ stunning solo try nine minutes from time ended any hopes St Helens had of snatching victory.

HIGHLIGHT REEL: George Williams’ thrilling effort was worthy of winning any big game.

MATCHFACTS
WOLVES
1 Matt Dufty
28 Arron Lindop
11 Ben Currie
4 Rodrick Tai
5 Matty Ashton
6 George Williams
35 Marc Sneyd
16 Zane Musgrove
9 Danny Walker
10 Paul Vaughan
21 Adam Holroyd
12 Lachlan Fitzgibbon
8 James Harrison
Subs (all used)
14 Sam Powell
13 Luke Yates
15 Joe Philbin
17 Jordy Crowther
18th man (not used)
28 Jake Thewlis
Also in 21-man squad
2 Josh Thewlis
3 Toby King
24 Max Wood

Tries: Dufty (17), Currie (55), Williams (71)
Goals: Sneyd 4/4

SAINTS
1 Jack Welsby
5 Jon Bennison
16 Matt Whitley
4 Mark Percival
29 Dayon Sambou
6 Tristan Sailor
7 Jonny Lomax
8 Alex Walmsley
14 Moses Mbye
10 Matty Lees
11 Curtis Sironen
12 Joe Batchelor
13 Morgan Knowles
Subs (all used)
9 Daryl Clark
17 Agnatius Paasi
18 Jake Wingfield
19 George Delaney
18th man (used)
15 James Bell
Also in 21-man squad
21 Noah Stephens
22 Ben Davies
27 George Whitby