ST HELENS 34 CATALANS DRAGONS 18
RICKY WILBY, BrewDog Stadium, Friday

A REMARKABLE win for St Helens saw them bounce back from capitulation just five days earlier to secure two vital points and reignite their play-off hopes.

Hammered by French opposition last time out in the shape of Toulouse, Saints’ ever-growing injury lost forced them to field two fresh debutants in Jack Campbell and Cole Marsh.

Campbell, at 18 years of age, touched down for a brace on the wing but his defence had much to be proud of too as he prevented three certain Catalans tries, one in particular before half-time preventing the Dragons from going twelve points in front at the break.

After wilting in the second half, it now looks as though Catalans’ hopes of reaching the play-offs are over.

Catalans suffered a late change to their line-up with Léo Darrélatour injured in the warm-up, Matthieu Laguerre coming in from the bench and Clément Martin taking a place on the bench after being named 18th man.

But they opened the scoring in the eighth minute as a break down the left with Jack Welsby down injured, conjured by a wide ball by Charlie Staines to Guillermo Aispuro-Bichet, saw the French flyer race down the line and return to supporting Staines. Aispuro-Bichet added the conversion.

Ten minutes later Saints were level. A smart kick from Jackson Hastings to the right edge was collected with one hand by Jed Cartwright who brought the ball in and touched down magnificently against his dad’s team. Hastings added the conversion to level the scores.

Both sides looked low on confidence, with misplaced passes or knock-ons preventing any addition to the scoreboard until the 30-minute mark when Solomona Faatappe, Kruise Leeming and Staines combined for Nick Cotric to step inside the sliding defence to dive over. Aispuro-Bichet added the conversion.

Catalans should have been further in front, but Lewis Dodd had a try ruled out for a knock-on and Ben Condon likewise for Leeming’s forward pass.

With coach Paul Rowley’s words ringing in their ears, Saints came out on fire for the second half. The ball was sent out to the right and a remarkable flick pass from Tristan Sailor put Campbell over in the corner, where Hastings added the conversion to level the scores.

A penalty then gifted field position before a Tom Humphreys grubber to the in-goal was pounced on by Harry Robertson to score under the posts. Hastings added the conversion to give Saints’ a six-point-lead.

That lead was doubled only two minutes later as Humphreys split the Catalans defence to break clear before drawing the fullback and offloading to the supporting Jack Welsby who touched down under the posts and Hastings added another conversion.

Catalans finally got their hands on the ball ten minutes into the half with Edenn Rodgers-Smith breaking down the right. Aispuro-Bichet drew the cover defenders before sending Cotric over for his second and Aispuro-Bichet added the conversion from the touchline.

On the hour, Campbell added his second. Neat play on the back of a Hastings break from Robertson, Cartwright and Sailor created the space for the debutant to dive over in the right corner for a ten-point Saints lead.

Curtis Sironen thought he had extended that further with nine minutes remaining, only for the try to be ruled out for an earlier obstruction.

But Robertson added his second try of the game in the dying seconds as he stepped inside to race over, and Hastings added his fifth conversion.

GAMESTAR: Jack Campbell saved three tries and scored two on his debut, just nine hours after receiving the call that he was in the team.

GAMEBREAKER: Three tries in eight early second-half minutes saw Saints going from six points down to twelve in front and knocked Catalans completely out of their stride.

HIGHLIGHT REEL: Jed Cartwright’s one-handed catch to outjump the Catalans defenders and then touchdown was worth the admission money.

ALBERT GOLDTHORPE POINTS
3 pts Jack Campbell (St Helens)
2 pts Tom Humphreys (St Helens)
1 pt Harry Robertson (St Helens)

MATCHFACTS

SAINTS
1 Jack Welsby
26 Jacob Douglas
6 Tristan Sailor
28 Jake Davies
41 Jack Campbell (D)
3 Harry Robertson
31 Jackson Hastings
35 Daniel Suluka-Fifita
23 Jake Burns
14 Jacob Host
11 Curtis Sironen
40 Jed Cartwright
22 Joe Shorrocks
Subs (all used)
29 Alfie Sinclair
30 Tom Humphreys
34 Cole Marsh (D)
38 Matty Evans
18th man (not used)
42 Tyler McGann
Also in 21-man-squad
25 Nene Macdonald
39 Chris Matagi
– Billy Keeley

Tries: Cartwright (17), Campbell (42, 60), Robertson (45, 80), Welsby (48)
Goals: Hastings 5/6

DRAGONS
1 Charlie Staines
3 Nick Cotric
24 Guillermo Aispuro-Bichet
4 Solomona Faataape
21 Matthieu Laguerre
6 Toby Sexton
7 Lewis Dodd
16 Josh Allen
26 Ugo Tison
11 Franck Maria
31 Edenn Rogers-Smith
20 Zac Lipowicz
10 Julian Bousquet
Subs (all used)
12 Ben Condon
19 Kruise Leeming
27 Clément Martin
30 Alexis Lis
18th man (not used)
28 Léo Darrélatour
Also in 21-man squad
8 Tevita Satae
25 Lenny Marc
29 Giovanni Descalzi

Tries: Staines (8), Cotric (30, 52)
Goals: Aispuro-Bichet 3/3

SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6, 6-6, 6-12; 12-12, 18-12, 24-12, 24-18, 28-18, 34-18

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Saints: Jack Campbell; Dragons: Franck Maria

Penalty count: 5-7
Half-time: 6-12
Referee: Tom Grant