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St Helens Rugby League Academy 36 v 26 Bradford Bulls Rugby League Academy

By Graham Henthorne, Team Manager

The Saints Rugby League Academy finally beat the Bulls in this seesaw encounter with two tries in the final ten minutes of a pulsating match.

It could have been so different if the Saints had managed to convert their superior position and possession into anything like the points that it deserved.

They also served up a lesson in finishing to their hosts as they scored three tries from their only four excursions into the Saints half of the field to build a convincing 16 points to nil lead in the opening half hour.

Then on came Scott Clarke at hooker and what had been a slightly lethargic performance stepped up a gear and started to produce dividends.

Sean Magennis scored the first try after a quick play the ball from Karl Forster gave Matty Ashurst time to find his Great Britain team mate who went over in the left corner. Stand in kicker Karl Ashall kicked the first of his six from six conversions in a Fosteresque display of goal kicking (if only the same could be said of his singing!).

Strong defence forced the breakdown of the Bulls attack on half way. Jack Bradbury scooped up the loose ball, shipped it out to Scott Clarke who fed Martin Waring for the winger to fly into the corner.

16 – 12 at the break and the Saints were back in it.

The improved work ethic and determination showed in the opening minutes of the second half as Magennis found himself the last man covering a Bulls break down the left.

Two tries in a three minute purple patch gave the Saints the lead for the first time. Dave Sutton provided the finishing touches to a Matty Ashurst inspired move down the right. Then Warren Thompson powered through to the line after good work from Andy Yates and Ste Lucas.

Lucas found himself clear moments after the restart as he broke clear but stumbled and lost possession.

Back came the Bulls as the Saints had a little stumble themselves conceding two tries to defensive errors. Crucially only one was converted leaving the Bulls clinging to a slender two point lead going into the final ten minutes.

Good drives from Thompson and substitute Mike Welsby put the Saints onto the Bulls 10 metre line. From the play the ball Joe Molyneux spotted the injured defender and ran straight to where he should have been in the line taking two of the scrambling Bulls defence with him.

Then it was Welsby himself who rapped the game up with his first try for the club, a bulldozing effort driving through three defenders on the line to score.

This victory was built on sheer grit, determination and a will to win. All those attributes were on display in abundance from Man of the Match Sean Magennis as he put in an 80 minutes performance made all the more remarkable for having been at the other side of the world until Tuesday.

He was ably supported by Matty Ashurst in the unfamiliar Stand Off position, Andy Yates and especially Ste Lucas who stepped up to the plate and shouldered the extra responsibility when Yates went off injured in the second half.

St Helens Junior Academy	Bradford Bulls Junior Academy
Tommy Johnson	Kieran Hyde
Dave Sutton	Aaron Lyons
Tom Armstrong	Duane Straugher
Jack Bradbury	Dom Dee
Martin Waring	Tom Carr
Matty Ashurst	Kris Harrop
Karl Ashall	Joe Wardle
Andy Yates	Rick Barr
Joe Molyneux	Keal Carlile
Steven Lucas	Steve Crossley
Warren Thompson	Tom Olbison
Danny Langtree	Elliot Whitehead
Sean Magennis	Danny Addy
Scott Clarke	Liam Mackay
Karl Forster	Jamie Shepherd
Mike Welsby	Abdul Khan
Mark Murray	Lewis Reed