BRADFORD Bulls U19s 6 v 76 St Helens U19s – Bar one very cruel piece of luck this was almost the perfect performance for the Saints, writes Graham Henthorne, Team Manager.
Thirteen tries to one is still a very impressive statistic but that perfect zero would have made it all the more sweet.
It was literally a case of men against boys as bar two ten minutes periods in each half you felt the Saints could score at will.
André Savelio opened the scoring on a repeat set brought about by a pin point accurate kick from Danny Yates, who did that all night and a fabulous chase from the team who held the Bulls behind the line. Drives from the increasingly impressive Tommy Holland and Luke Thompson allowed Yates to feed Savelio and the rest was simple.
The Saints managed to bomb two gilt edged chances due to support players overrunning their counterparts before James Tilley go his just desserts for charging down a last tackle clearing kick and then winning the chase to the rebound. He was caught but two tackles later spun over to score.
Dom Speakman, back from a sojourn at Rochdale Hornets, darted blind to score the third in the right corner and when Mark Percival scooted 70 metres to outpace the cover to score from a free play, the game was over as a contest even though we were only 20 minutes in.
Savelio scored his second after good work from Danny Yates, and two tries in the final three minutes made it over a point a minute.
First quick hands from Yates and Percival put Adam Saunders in for his first score at this level and right on the whistle Dave Hewitt celebrated his first start diving over in the left corner. All that was left was for Lewis Charnock’s to complete his 100% conversion record.
It was recognised at half time that it would be difficult to maintain that intensity in the second period being that far ahead but that’s exactly the aim the coaching staff set the players, play rugby not the score and keep the nil.
Matty Fozard opened the scoring in the 47 minute diving over at dummy half after Percival had been held short and when he dived blind twice on the next set it exposed the Bulls flank and quick hands from Greg Wilde put Saunders clear again.
Olly Davies made his début off the bench and scored a great try. Brad Ashurst’s charge at the defensive line caused it to buckle and Davies charged onto a fabulous offload at pace. He took it to the full back then got a bit of white line fever whereupon instead of giving the simple pass out to his support to score under the sticks, he side stepped the full back then just about managed to beat the winger into the left corner. Charnock missed his only kick of the night to spoil the symmetry.
Luke Thompson made a break only to spill possession as he was caught from behind and the Bulls scored their only try as an awful pass went straight to a player in space who beat Yates to the line.
The Saints exacted sufficient revenge with a further three tries in the final seven minutes.
A big hit from Captain Tilley dislodged possession, and a few ribs by the looks of it, and Ashurst scored from the possession.
Savelio went on another rampaging run down the left and put Percival away to round the winger and come inside the fullback to the sticks.
The final score was virtually a carbon copy this time Percival gave Lewis Galbraith the honours. Charnock’s twelfth goal came on the whistle/
Although the opposition was a little lacking you can only play what’s in front of you and the Saints did that in a very professional manner. However, they will all that and more in spades as the Rhinos come to town on Friday.
Match Summary:
Bulls U19s:
Tries: Sam Wood.
Goals: Adam Brook.
Saints U19s:
Tries: Lewis Galbraith, Mark Percival 2, Adam Saunders 2, Dave Hewitt, Dom Speakman, Andrè Savelio 2, James Tilley, Matty Fozard, Olly Davies, Brad Ashurst.
Goals: Lewis Charnock 12.
Half Time: 42-0
Full Time: 76-6
Teams:
Bradford:
1. Jake Dearden; 2. Kyle Moore, 3. Nick Gomersall, 4. Sam Wood, 5. Jarrod Ward; 6. Jordan Gale, 7. Adam Brook; 8.Steve Copeland, 9. Nathan Conroy, 10.Connor Nolan, 11. Alex Mellor, 12. Brad Adams, 13. Jordan Hargreaves.
Subs: 14. Todd Binns, 15. Dan Gregory, 16. Josh Halliday, 17. Sam Bates.
Saints:
1. Lewis Charnock; 5. Adam Saunders, 3. Mark Percival, 4. Greg Wilde, 2. Lewis Galbraith; 6. Dave Hewitt, 18. Danny Yates; 8. Tommy Holland, 9. Dom Speakman, 11. Luke Thompson, 17. Connor Dwyer, 12. Andrè Savelio, 13. James Tilley.
Subs: 10. Brad Ashurst, 14. Matty Fozard, 15. Olly Davies, 16. Alex Clare.
