WIGAN WARRIORS 38 ST HELENS 16
DAVID KUZIO, The Brick Community Stadium, Friday

BEVAN FRENCH returned to action, and he linked up perfectly with Harry Smith as Wigan ran riot over coach-less St Helens.

​After four weeks out through injury, French assisted four tries and scored one himself, while Smith used his vision to set up Oliver Partington’s second try.

They were the star performers, but they were backed up by the likes of Partington, Brad O’Neill and Ethan Havard.

​Saints, under the charge of Eamon O’Carroll after Paul Rowley’s deaprture, led twice in the first half, but French scored one and assisted two to send the Warriors to half-time in front.

A controversial disallowed try for Saints before the break broke their spirit, and the Warriors scored three more tries after the break – with French having a hand in two more.

​St Helens hit the front inside five minutes as Jack Welsby stepped past opposing fullback Jai Field to score and Jackson Hastings converted for a 6-0 lead.

​It did not take Wigan long to get back on level terms with a try from inside their own half, started and finished by French with involvement from Zach Eckersley and Adam Keighran, who also converted.

​After a Field error, Saints edged back in front from a scrum play with Harry Robertson sending Jacob Douglas to score against his former club. Hastings made it 12-6.

​The try-scoring continued as Wigan levelled it up in the 20th minute. St Helens were struggling to cope with French, whose long cut-out ball found Eckersley to go in the corner where Keighran converted.

​In a tough and entertaining affair, a couple of Smith half-breaks were stopped by Joe Shorrocks, but it was ​French who Saints could not live with. He dived on a loose ball to set up another attack and then sent a neat chip to the corner for Eckersley to grab his second.

Keighran converted as Wigan led for the first time at 18-12, which is how it stayed until half-time despite Keighran dropping one chance and missing a penalty goal, as well as Robertson being denied by the video referee, who judged Jake Wardle and Liam Marshall to have held the Saints man up.

​A knock-on at the start of the second half from Lewis Murphy looked to have cost his side dear as French went over from the scrum. It went to the video referee, and he was penalised for a double movement.

​Wigan looked in determined mood after the break and Field was next to be denied by an amazing tackle from Douglas.

​But it didn’t matter as moments later the Warriors extended their lead with Partington collecting a pass from French and Keighran making it 24-12.

​Saints were at sixes and sevens, and they had Hastings sent to the sin bin for an off-the-ball tackle on French when he looked set to score. Keighran extended their lead to 14 points after another penalty was awarded later in the set.

​It was getting a bit scrappy with both teams making unnecessary handling errors. Once it calmed down, Wigan went close with French sending Field clear, but he was again held short of the line.

A penalty for offside saw Wigan pile the pressure on, before Partington grabbed his second as he plucked a Smith kick out of the air to touch down. Keighran made it 32-12.

​It was no shock to see French have a hand in another try as he put a kick downfield that was chased by Keighran. The centre beat Murphy to the ball, went over to score then added his seventh and final goal.

​Saints did have the final word with Murphy acrobatically scoring in the corner after a great cut-out ball from Welsby, but they were well beaten on the night. ​

GAMESTAR: Bevan French was untouchable on his return from injury.

GAMEBREAKER: The knock-on from Lewis Murphy at the start of the second half put Saints on the back foot and they never really recovered.

HIGHLIGHT REEL: Harry Smith’s pinpoint kick that found Oliver Partington for his second try.

ALBERT GOLDTHORPE POINTS
3 pts Bevan French (Wigan)
2 pts Oliver Partington (Wigan)
1 pt Harry Smith (Wigan)

MATCHFACTS

WARRIORS
1 Jai Field
2 Zach Eckersley
3 Adam Keighran
4 Jake Wardle
5 Liam Marshall
6 Bevan Frenchg
7 Harry Smith
8 Ethan Havard
9 Brad O’Neill
10 Luke Thompson
17 Oliver Partington
13 Kaide Ellis
25 Taylor Kerr
Subs (all used)
14 Sam Walters
15 Patrick Mago
28 Noah Hodkinson
41 Shea O’Connor
18th man (not used)
33 George O’Loughlin
Also in 21-man squad
20 Sam Eseh
36 George Marsden
38 Austin Daniel

Tries: French (10), Eckersley (20, 26), Partington (44, 58), Keighran (63)
Goals: Keighran 7/8

SAINTS
1 Jack Welsby
20 Lewis Murphy
6 Tristan Sailor
28 Jake Davies
26 Jacob Douglas
3 Harry Robertson
31 Jackson Hastings
14 Jacob Host
23 Jake Burns
35 Daniel Suluka-Fifita
12 Shane Wright
40 Jed Cartwright
22 Joe Shorrocks
Subs (all used)
15 George Delaney
29 Alfie Sinclair
30 Tom Humphreys
38 Matty Evans
18th man (not used)
41 Jack Campbell
Also in 21-man squad
34 Cole Marsh
– Billy Keeley
– Tyler McGann

Tries: Welsby (5), Douglas (16), Murphy (72)
Goals: Hastings 2/3
Sin bin: Hastings (47) – tackle off the ball

SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6, 6-6, 6-12, 12-12, 18-12; 24-12, 26-12, 32-12, 38-12, 38-16

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Warriors: Bevan French; Saints: Harry Robertson

Penalty count: 6-8
Half-time: 18-12
Referee: Liam Moore
Attendance: 18,906