THREE Super League fixtures took place tonight with Castleford Tigers hosting Huddersfield Giants, Salford Red Devils travelling to St Helens whilst Leigh Leopards take on Leeds Rhinos.
Here is how all three games went:
Castleford Tigers vs Huddersfield Giants
The Giants began the brighter of the two sides, Adam Swift crossing in the corner after good work on the inside by Esan Marsters in the fifth minute. Olly Russell converted superbly for a 6-0 lead.
That lead was doubled with a brilliant chip and chase from Adam Clune with Luke Hooley inexplicably out of position. Russell was again on target to make it 12-0 after 15 minutes.
The Giants should have had another moments later when Ashton Golding went over from dummy-half, but the hooker knocked on over the line.
Finally, the home side gathered some momentum of their own and with a fine pass from Jacob Miller, Innes Senior grounded the ball well in the corner. Hooley couldn’t convert with Huddersfield still leading 12-4.
The Tigers, however, let the resulting kick-off go straight into touch and the Giants took advantage with Sam Halsall going in at the corner off a brilliant Jake Connor pass. This time Russell couldn’t convert, but the visitors held a 16-4 advantage.
Russell extended the lead with a penalty to make it 18-4 before Sam Hewitt almost made sure of the win on the hooter following a mix-up in the Castleford defence from a kick. Russell converted for a 24-4 half-time lead.
Half-time: Castleford Tigers 4-24 Huddersfield Giants
Castleford enjoyed a consistent spell of pressure at the start of the second-half with Senior grabbing his second on the last tackle but again Hooley couldn’t convert.
Despite relentless pressure, the Tigers couldn’t make it count and it was the Giants next on the board on the hour, Leroy Cudjoe burrowing over. Russell missed the extras with Huddersfield now 28-8 up.
It was comical from the hosts in the final quarter, Luis Johnson dropping an offload with Adam Swift picking up to run 70 metres unopposed to the line. Russell converted for a 34-8 lead.
Halsall got his second moments later off a simple scrum play with Russell bringing up the 40 with his boot and Cudjoe had enough time to dot down a second with Kevin Naiqama crossing on the corner. Russell couldn’t convert as the Giants ran out 50-8 winners.
Full-time: Castleford Tigers 8-50 Huddersfield Giants
Castleford Tigers
1 Luke Hooley
2 Josh Simm
12 Alex Mellor
4 Sam Wood
5 Innes Senior
16 Rowan Milnes
7 Jacob Miller
10 George Lawler
14 Liam Horne
21 Sylvester Namo
31 Luis Johnson
22 Charbel Tasipale
13 Joe Westerman
Substitutes
3 Jack Broadbent
17 Nixon Putt
19 Sam Hall
27 Albert Vete
Tries: Senior (24, 50)
Goals: Hooley 0/2
Huddersfield Giants
1 Jake Connor
24 Sam Halsall
3 Esan Marsters
4 Kevin Naiqama
2 Adam Swift
23 Olly Russell
7 Adam Clune
8 Chris Hill
14 Ashton Golding
18 Seb Ikahihifo
11 Jack Murchie
12 Sam Hewitt
21 Leroy Cudjoe
Substitutes
6 Tui Lolohea
13 Luke Yates
17 Olly Wilson
26 Hugo Salabio
Tries: Marsters (5), Clune (14), Halsall (33, 73), Hewitt (40), Cudjoe (58, 77), Swift (70), Naiqama (80)
Goals: Russell 7/10
St Helens vs Salford Red Devils
St Helens were on top from the first whistle, but it took until 12 minutes for Jack Welsby to cross, though Mark Percival missed the conversion for a 4-0 lead.
The combination of Alex Walmsley and Sione Mata’utia laid the platform for Lewis Dodd to dot down. Again, though, Percival’s conversion went wayward.
Against the run of play, however, the Red Devils hit back just before the half-hour mark when Deon Cross was the beneficiary of a lovely Ryan Brierley pass. Marc Sneyd converted to reduce the deficit to two at 8-6.
But, Saints restored their eight-point lead just before the break, Daryl Clark feeding Jonny Lax who sent over Percival under the sticks. The latter converted to make it 14-6 at half-time.
Half-time: St Helens 14-6 Salford Red Devils
Things got heated just after half-time as Percival was sent off for a late tackle on Jack Ormondroyd, but that didn’t seem to affect Saints too much as Dodd crossed on the hour. With Percival off the field, Dodd took over the kicking duties to make it 20-6.
But the visitors weren’t completely out of it as Kallum Watkins notched a try on 63 minutes. Sneyd’s conversion brought Salford back to within eight at 20-12.
And the Red Devils were within two with ten minutes remaining, Chris Atkin going over. The ever-reliable Sneyd made it 20-18.
To complete the stunning comeback, Cross getting his second from a remarkable Tim Lafai flick with Sneyd’s boot giving Salford a 24-20 lead in the final stages.
And Salford held on for an incredible win.
St Helens 20-24 Salford Red Devils
Full-time:
St Helens
1 Jack Welsby
2 Tommy Makinson
3 Waqa Blake
4 Mark Percival
5 Jon Bennison
6 Jonny Lomax
7 Lewis Dodd
8 Alex Walmsley
9 Daryl Clark
11 Sione Mata’utia
19 Matt Whitley
16 Curtis Sironen
13 Morgan Knowles
Substitutes
14 Moses Mbye
15 James Bell
18 Jake Wingfield
20 George Delaney
Tries: Welsby (12), Dodd (18, 60)
Goals: Percival 0/2, Dodd 1/1
Red card: Percival (50) – late tackle
Salford Red Devils
1 Ryan Brierley
23 Chris Hankinson
3 Nene Macdonald
4 Tim Lafai
5 Deon Cross
6 Cade Cust
7 Marc Sneyd
17 Jack Ormondroyd
9 Amir Bourouh
8 Brad Singleton
11 Sam Stone
12 Kallum Watkins
16 Joe Shorrocks
Substitutes
10 King Vuniyayawa
14 Chris Atkin
15 Shane Wright
18 Ben Hellewell
Tries: Brierley (28), Watkins (63), Atkin (70)
Goals: Sneyd 3/3
Leigh Leopards vs Leeds Rhinos
It was Leigh that struck first in this one as Gareth O’Brien touched down in the corner on 12 minutes. Matt Moylan missed the conversion as the Leopards led 4-0.
The Leopards were purring and it was Kai O’Donnell that was able to stretch out of a tackle to score just before the midway point in the first-half. This time Moylan converted for a 10-0 lead.
It was all Leigh in the first-half and Adrian Lam’s men had their third on 25 minutes with Umyla Hanley going over in the corner.
Though Moylan missed that conversion, he was on target with a penalty shortly after the half-hour as Leigh led 16-0 at half-time.
Half-time: Leigh Leopards 16-0 Leeds Rhinos
Credit to Leeds, they came out a different animal at the start of the second-half and Rhyse Martin managed to spin out of a tackle and dot down. Martin himself converted to make it 16-6.
And Leeds were back to within four points on the hour, Matt Frawley getting a debut try with a magnificent jink to the line. Martin again converted.
It was two tries in two minutes with Ash Handley dotting down for a customary try, but this time Martin was wayward with the extras with the score locked at 16 apiece.
The stunning comeback was complete with Handley notching his second on 71 minutes after Martin and Brodie Croft combined. Martin converted for a 22-16 lead.
Justin Sangare was sinbinned for a high shot on Tom Amone with seven minutes to go, but the Rhinos held on for a priceless two points.
Full-time: Leigh Leopards 16-22 Leeds Rhino
Leigh Leopards
1 Gareth O’Brien
24 Umyla Hanley
3 Zak Hardaker
4 Ricky Leutele
5 Josh Charnley
6 Matt Moylan
7 Lachlan Lam
12 Jack Hughes
33 Brad Dwyer
10 Robbie Mulhern
11 Kai O’Donnell
16 Frankie Halton
8 Tom Amone
Substitutes
14 Dan Norman
15 Matt Davis
17 Owen Trout
18 Ben Nakubuwai
Tries: O’Brien (12), O’Donnell (19), Hanley (25)
Goals: Moylan 2/4
Leeds Rhinos
1 Lachlan Miller
24 Luis Roberts
3 Harry Newman
4 Paul Momirovski
5 Ash Handley
6 Brodie Croft
7 Matt Frawley
8 Mikolaj Oledzki
9 Andy Ackers
18 Mickael Goudemand
16 James McDonnell
12 Rhyse Martin
13 Cameron Smith
Substitutes
10 Tom Holroyd
14 Jarrod O’Connor
17 Justin Sangare
23 Leon Ruan
Tries: Martin (50), Frawley (61), Handley (63)
Goals: Martin 2/3
Sinbin: Sangare (73) – high tackle
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