BARROW RAIDERS 6 ST HELENS 42
Speed Competitions Stadium, Sunday

LAST season’s joint top try scorer Dani McGifford crossed four times as St Helens built on their semi-final victory last weekend with a big win over Barrow Raiders.

The hosts held firm for much of the first half and after McGifford had given Saints an early lead after 10 minutes, the Raiders defence worked hard and repelled the visitors until Mia Drescher, who had converted the first try, went in from close range after half an hour.

With Luci McColm off the bench she took over kicking duties and successfully added the conversion and was on target again six minutes later when Zoe Harris put Caitlin Casey in for Saints’ third try of the afternoon.

With the half drawing to a close, Mikayla Gillespie, who had minutes early been held up over the line, sprinted 30 metres to mark her debut with a try, and Saints were 22-0 up at the break.

As they had done in the first 40, the Raiders started the second half strong and forced errors from Saints and it paid off when Leah Cottier scooted over to get Barrow on the board.

But the rest of the half belonged to Saints with McGifford crossing twice in the space of eight minutes to complete a hat-trick before Harris went in with just over 10 minutes remaining.

McColm added two of the conversions before a cut through run from Drescher put McGifford in for her fourth to wrap up Saints’ win.

RAIDERS: 1 Sam Norman, 2 Chloe Capstick, 3 Emily Stirzaker, 5 Emma Hutchinson, 19 Blossom Howell, 9 Beth Lindsay, 7 Beth Pattinson, 8 Leah Clough, 14 Leah Cottier, 10 Jodie Morley, 11 Lucy Dickinson, 12 Vanessa Temple, 13 Nicole Stewart. Subs (all used): 6 Kerrie-Ann Smith, 15 Jodie Crawford, 18 Megan Mayhew-Beach, 24 Fern Henderson.

Tries: Cottier (50); Goals: Pattinson 1/1

SAINTS: 23 Liv Leach, 27 Mikayla Gillespie, 4 Amy Hardcastle, 3 Rachael Woosey, 25 Dani McGifford, 6 Zoe Harris, 22 Mia Drescher, 11 Shona Hoyle-Holdsworth, 17 Caitlin Casey, 16 Erin McDonald, 14 Paige Travis, 20 Alyx Bridge, 13 Jodie Cunningham. Subs (all used): 8 Vicky Whitfield, 18 Luci McColm, 21 Hollie Bawden, 28 Jadine McVernon.

Tries: McGifford (9, 53, 61, 78), Drescher (31), Casey (37), Gillespie (39), Harris (68); Goals: Drescher 1/1; McColm 4/7

SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6, 0-12, 0-18, 0-22; 6-22, 6-28, 6-32, 6-38, 6-42

Half-time: 0-22