WIGAN WARRIORS 56 ST HELENS 4
DAVID KUZIO, Robin Park Arena, Saturday

WIGAN moved one step closer to clinching top spot and a place in the Grand Final as they inflicted a demolition job on rivals St Helens.

It was a tight opening 15 minutes with both defences on top, especially Wigan’s Molly Jones who put a couple of big hits in early on.

The Warriors kept letting Saints into good field position with penalties, but their defence held strong as they continuously forced errors.

And once they got in good position themselves, Wigan were at their clinical best.

They opened the scoring when Megan Williams stormed onto a short ball from Isabel Rowe, who added the first of six successful conversions from eleven tries.

Wigan extended their lead in the 24th minute. Ellise Derbyshire – who impressed in the first half – got the move going with a strong drive, then the ball made its way to captain Georgia Wilson, who showed her pace and composure to cross.

It was all Wigan now and they put this game to bed with a blistering spell of four tries in the eleven minutes before half-time.

First, Rowe and Eva Hunter combined to send Molly Jones over to score, before Jones turned provider to send Derbyshire over in the corner for a try her performance deserved.

The next try saw Wigan decide to tap a penalty in front of the posts and move the ball to the left, where Banks found her way through.

Eva Hunter then used all her strength to get over the line, and the Warriors were out of sight at 30-0.

St Helens improved after the break and nearly breached Wigan’s defensive line three times before finally doing so, as they lacked that finishing touch.

Paige Travis went close to scoring before Zoe Harris knocked on, but they managed to force Anna Davies into an error in her own half to launch another attack. 

They finally got on the scoresheet in the 52nd minute when fullback Anna Dennis took on the line and forced her way over. Mia Drescher failed to convert.

It was a slow start to the second half for the Warriors, but that score from Saints seemed to wake them up. Beri Salihi and Bethan Dainton both went close before Rowe and Jenna Foubister combined to send Molly Jones over for her second try of the day.

The Warriors had no intention of switching off again as Foubister went over from close range shortly afterwards. 

Three more tries followed in the final eleven minutes, starting with Banks grabbing her second of the game following a strong run from Eva Hunter.

Davies finished off a neat passing move in the right corner to bring up the half-century, before Salihi capped off an impressive second-half performance with the final try as Wigan remain undefeated this season.

GAMESTAR: There were a number of contenders, but Molly Jones was faultless in attack and defence and was rewarded with a brace of tries. 

GAMEBREAKER: Ellise Derbyshire’s try in the 32nd minute made it 20-0 and there was no way back for Saints after that.

MATCHFACTS

WARRIORS
1 Grace Banks
2 Anna Davies
3 Georgia Wilson
4 Molly Jones
5 Ellise Derbyshire
6 Jenna Foubister
7 Isabel Rowe
8 Mary Coleman
9 Carys Marsh
21 Jade Gregory-Haselden
11 Eva Hunter
12 Cerys Jones
13 Megan Williams
Subs (all used)
10 Mia Atherton
15 Bethan Dainton
16 Beri Salihi
22 Ruby Hunter

Tries: Williams (16), Wilson (24), M Jones (29, 56), Derbyshire (32), Banks (36, 69), E Hunter (39), Foubister (59), Davies (73), Salihi (78)
Goals: Rowe 6/11

SAINTS
31 Anna Dennis
25 Dani McGifford
4 Amy Hardcastle
3 Rachel Woosey
2 Phoebe Hook
22 Mia Drescher
6 Zoe Harris
11 Shona Hoyle-Holdsworth
17 Caitlin Casey
16 Erin McDonald
14 Paige Travis
12 Emily Rudge
13 Jodie Cunningham
Subs (all used)
8 Vicky Whitfield
9 Katie Mottershead
15 Georgia Sutherland
20 Alyx Bridge

Tries: Dennis (52)
Goals: Drescher 0/1

SCORING SEQUENCE: 6-0, 12-0, 16-0, 20-0, 24-0, 30-0; 30-4, 34-4, 40-4, 46-4, 50-4, 56-4

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Women of the Match
Warriors: Molly Jones; Saints: Paige Travis

Penalty count: 3-6
Half-time: 30-0
Referee: Reece Schofield