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St Helens Reserve Team 28 v 26 Warrington Wolves Reserve Team

By Graham Henthorne, Team Manager

For the second time in ten days the Reserves came from behind to beat a strong Warrington team, thanks to a salmon-like leap from Paul Johnson. He latched onto Dale Bloomfield’s last tackle cross kick plucking the ball from the grasp of the Wolves fullback to level the scores. Ste Tyrer’s fourth goal of the night edged our noses in front for the final time.

As in the previous encounter at Wilderspool it was the Wolves who were first to score in the corner after some slack defence, but a brace of Tyrer tries put the Saints in command. The first came after the Wolves winger dropped Dale Bloomfield’s cross kick and the second when he finished off debutant Phil Baines’ break down the left.

Minutes later and Chris Dean had a try chalked off after a dubious forward pass again off the impressive Baines.

On quarter time an injury to Jonny Lomax disrupted the Saints and in the time taken to readjust the Wolves had gone ahead again.

But the Saints finished the half the stronger. Paul Johnson was held inches short, Liam Bland held up over the line and Ste Tyrer saw his inside ball snapped up by the opposition after a break down the left.

On the stroke of half time, however, the Reserves drew level. Andrew Dixon made a short break into the Wolves 20 metre area and under pressure they started to crack. Two drives to the left corner opened a gap back on the inside for Paul Johnson to get his first of the night. Tyrer’s third goal levelled matters at the break.

However, the big centre blotted his copy book with two restarts going out on the full.

The Saints were falling foul of the referee at this stage and the Wolves capitalised on their glut of possession scoring twice in the opening twenty minutes of the half. Crucially Chris Riley missed with one conversion leaving the Saints still in it only ten points behind.

A point which Head Coach Ian Talbot stressed to the players on the pitch. Having had all the possession the Wolves were not out of sight and a little discipline and some steady sets would find us right back in it. How right he was as the game turned on its head with the Saints pinning the Wolves back in their own half with numerous repeat sets due to the intelligent kicking of Dale Bloomfield.

The breakthrough came when Andrew Dixon drew the cover on the left before slipping the ball out to Ste Tyrer. He powered past his opposite number to score in the corner converting his own try to boot.

Five minutes later and after yet more pressure on the Wolves line, the leaping Johnson secured the victory that keeps the Reserves snapping at the Rhinos heels.

The loss of Jonny Lomax was a blow but Dale Bloomfield coped well with the added responsibility and Lee Cunliffe moved seamlessly to scrum half to orchestrate the side. The back row of Dixon, Johnson and Haggerty were a constant thorn in the Wolves side and Emmitt, Bland and Roughley kept us on the front foot.

St Helens Reserve Team	Warrington Wolves Reserve Team
Phil Baines	Chris Riley
Dean McGilvray	Yaad Johal
Ste Tyrer	Matt Blythe
Chris Dean	Anthony Jerram
Dave Hull	Taylor Welch
Dale Bloomfield	Simon Grix
Jonny Lomax	Craig White
Danny Cooper	Adam Neal
Lee Cunliffe	Mike Johnson
Jake Emmitt	Mike Cooper
Kurt Haggerty	Lee Mitchell
Paul Johnson	Danny Colquitt
Andrew Dixon	Tyrone McCarthy
Danny Fairhurst	Craig Cornelia
Liam Gilchrist	Dave Saxon
Dave Roughley	Anthony Rourke
Liam Bland	Josh Cullen