St Helens broke a five-game losing streak last weekend with a comprehensive win over a desperately poor Hull FC side and came into tonight’s fourth against fifth challenge against the Salford Red Devils looking for a win which would lift them above their visitors on points difference.
A place in the top six is still very much on the cards for both sides, but the jostle for positions at the end of round twenty-seven is still very much alive with both sides wanting to finish as high up the ladder as they can.
St Helens were the favourites with the bookies having been handicapped by eight points on the coupon.
On seven minutes Tommy Makinson opened the Saints account when he bounced over the line after a ten-metre run and ducking under the Salford tackle, forcing the ball down in the right corner. Mark Percival was just wide with the touchline conversion attempt.
Joe Shorrocks added to Salford’s woes when he was sin-binned on nineteen for holding back a Saints player who was supporting a break.
While still a man down, Marc Sneyd kicked a penalty goal from twenty-metres to get the visitors within two of their hosts. He added another on thirty-four to level the scores as Saints paid for their indiscipline after Alex Walmsley gave away the penalty. A lightening fast first half with nothing to choose between the two sides.
A great defensive effort, pushing the Salford man into touch, led to the points of the second half as they moved the ball wide into the hands of Waqa Blake to slide over in the corner. Percival found the target with the conversion for a six-point lead.
On fifty a Sneyd grubber, ten from the line, was chased by Chris Hankinson and grounded the ball as he slid towards it in goal. Sneyd was on target with the conversion, the scores back to all square.
On the hour mark Joe Batchelor went through a gap off a Jake Burns pass to go over from five metres. Percival hit the target, Saints back six points ahead.
With twelve minutes remaining Morgan Knowles was sin-binned for a high tackle on Joe Mellor. Within seconds he was joined by Joe Batchelor and Oliver Partington, the first for a high tackle, the second for running in.
With a one-man advantage Nene MacDonald battered his way past four Saints tacklers with a nice step to score. When Sneyd hit the target with the conversion it was 16-16 with ten minutes remaining.
A superhuman effort from Moses Mbye managed to tackle Deon Cross into touch on seventy-six when it looked like the Salford man would seal a Salford win in the left corner. Saints moved the ball the length of the field but as they tried to set up for the drop goal they spilled the ball.
Mbye attempted a drop goal with ten seconds remaining, the ball going wide and the game moving into Golden Point for a thrilling ending.
Four minutes into the first period some brilliant Saints carries saw them deep in the Salford half and Mbye steadied himself and put the drop goal over the cross bar to take the win and the crucial two points to lift them fourth above Salford in the league table.
Saints snatched the win but it was an epic game between two dedicated sides which ebbed one way and then the other. Salford were never in front but spent long periods on level pegging with a Saints side who are still not firing on all cylinders. Both sides are well clear of the Leeds Rhinos in seventh and almost certain to make the play-offs. Odds are they could meet for a fourth time this season in those play-offs and it is likely that will be equally tight.
St Helens: Robertson, Ritson, Blake (T), Percival (2/3 G), Makinson (T), Mbye (DG), Dodd, Paasi, Clark, Lees, Sironen, Whitley, Knowles (SB on 68). Subs: Batchelor (T, SB on 68), Bell, Burns, Walmsley. 18th Man: Bennison.
Salford Red Devils: Brierley, Ryan, MacDonald (T), Hankinson (T), Cross, Nikorima, Sneyd (4/4 G), Singleton, Shorrocks (SB on 19), Bullock, Stone, Watkins, Partington (SB on 68). Subs: Wright, Mellor, Dudson, Lewis. 18th Man: Atkin.
Half-Time: 4-4.
Full-Time: 16-16. Golden Point: 17-16.
Score Progression: 4-0, (SB), 4-2, 4-4 :HT: 8-4, 10-4, 10-8, 10-10, 14-10, 16-10, (SB), (SB), (SB), 16-14, 16-16 :FT: 17-16 :GP.
Lead Exchanges: St Helens – Square – St Helens – Square – St Helens – Square – St Helens.
Referee: Chris Kendall.
