A DOMINANT second half display saw Eric Frodsham’s side run out comfortable 36-12 winners in the second clash of the evening over Warrington at a chilly Wilderspool, writes Graham Henthorne.
The Saints pack ran riot over their bigger opponents restricting them to two opportunistic dummy half darts at the line for their only tries of the evening.
In fact had the Saints not knocked on from the kick off after virtually every try they scored the home side wouldn’t have been that close.
In a carbon copy of the U15s game earlier props Tom Calland and Olly Davies showed the way with some blockbusting drives in the first five minutes putting the Saints firmly in the driving seat.
Davies himself would have opened the scoring from 50 metres out had Matthew Whitley’s pass been inch perfect.
As it was it was left to Whitley himself to open the Saints account again taking Rob Hamon’s pass around the tackler to go over in the corner.
Hamon put the Saints back in front picking up Adam Saunders offload and taking three would be tacklers over with him.
David Hewitt’s timely interception preserved the lead before Tom Davies extended it jinking over at the line after good work from Dan Abram.
The second half was a different story as the Saints showed their improvement from their game against the same opponents last year at U15’s level. That game the Saints narrowly lost, this was never in doubt.
Time and time again the Wolves were turned around and made to work off their own line by the astute kicking of stand off David Hewitt and a great kick chase.
Both Olly Davies and the big unit that is Ross McCauley went close before the Wolves got a taste of their own medicine as Josh Crehan took advantage of slack defensive marking scampering over from dummy half.
Dan Abram scooted in from 20 metres after selling the biggest dummy to no-one in particular. Tom Calland got his name on the score sheet backing up well to take Hewitt’s pass after yet another dummy prised open the home defence.
Hewitt rounded off a great personal display with the boot converting all six tries.
This was a splendid team performance built on hard hitting defence. Numerous big hits from Joe Ryan, Will Weir, Connor Smith and even winger Scott Harrison put the skids under the home side. Liam Knowles, Jordan Wakefield and Josh Swift did a sound job supporting the outstanding pack.
Match Summary:
Warrington:
Tries: Joe Spencely 2.
Goals: Ed Chamberlain 2.
Saints:
Tries: Matthew Whitley, Dan Abram, Tom Calland, Tom Davies, Rob Hamon, Josh Crehan.
Goals: David Hewitt 6.
Half Time: 18-12
Full Time: 36-12
Teams:
Warrington:
1. Ed Chamberlain; 2. Jack Johnson, 3. Brad Goulding, 4. Tom Dickinson, 5. Lewis Christian; 6.
Kruise Leaming, 7. Connor Messenger; 8. Daniel Murray, 9. Joe Spencely, 10. Robert Holroyd, 11. Sam Wild, 12. Jordan Burns, 13. Liam Parfitt.
Subs: 14. Frankie Halton, 15. Shaun Nicol, 16. Josh Woods, 17. Luke Davidson, 18. Ged Saundry.
Saints:
1. Adam Saunders; 2. Liam Knowles, 3. Will Weir, 4. Matthew Whitley, 5. Scott Harrison; 6. David Hewitt, 7. Dan Abram; 8. Tom Calland, 9. Tom Davies, 10. Olly Davies, 11. Josh Swift, 12. Rob Hamon, 13. Joe Ryan.
Subs: 15. Jordan Wakefield, 16. Josh Crehan, 17. Declan Flannery, 19. Connor Smith, 20. Ross McCauley.
