SAINTS U19s got back on the horse, so to speak, thanks in large to a dominant opening forty minutes, writes Graham Henthorne.
Despite falling behind to a Wildcats try in the third minute the Saints took control scoring four of their own to open up an unassailable lead at the break and eventually win 34-10.
The tide turned for the Saints when Alex Clare took a Wildcats kick through on the full racing 50 metres before being caught. Two tackles later and the ball was sailing into touch but the Saints were on the front foot.
A big hit on the first tackle from the scrum saw possession in the hands of the Saints again allowing Dom Speakman to put Greg Richards in untouched for the opening Saints score.
The second try came courtesy of make-shift full back Dan Abram who is beginning to look more assured in the position. Jack Ashworth took a wide pass but despite being caught almost immediately he managed to pass the ball around the tackler finding Abram in support. The little full back showed his half back skills as he dummied outside to his winger before diving over.
The golden spell continued as straight from the kick off the forwards again marched imperiously down the middle to put the Saints on the attack. Tommy Holland, James Tilley and Richards all carried well allowing Speakman to jump down the short side. His pass found Abram whose pace took him clear to his opposite number before he put Ben Parry in at the corner. Lewis Charnock’s third goal from as many attempts gave the Saints a point a minute haul.
The Wildcats took advantage of some ill discipline and reorganisation due to injury from the Saints to claw their way back into it meaning that it was after the half hour before the Saints put the game safe. The visitors knocked on in their own 10 metre area and the Saints exacted full retribution as Matty Fozard put the ever impressive Luke Thompson in for a try.
True to form the Wildcats had a bit of a rollicking at the break and came out a different outfit again scoring first in the half courtesy of yet another missed tackle from the Saints.
A great grubber on the last from standoff Speakman bounced beautifully for Mark Percival to pluck it out of the air to score close to the sticks to restore the lead.
On the hour Abram again showed his class as he jinked through the line putting Percival in at the corner for his second.
The game deteriorated into a scrappy affair punctuated by too many penalties against the Saints allowing the visitors to spend long periods on the attack.
There was still time for Percival to show how to absolutely bomb a try as he came on the arc from a scrum on the Wildcats 30. With the line at his mercy and no-one within cooey he chipped over for his winger who, needless to say, was able to take the ball in.
After the previous two weeks displays a wins a win but in reality this was a disjointed performance.
Best for the Saints was again the barnstorming Luke Thompson, but he was ably supported by Richards, Holland and a blossoming Abram.
Match Summary:
Saints U19s:
Tries: Danny Abram, Ben Parry, Mark Percival 2, Greg Richards, Luke Thompson.
Goals: Lewis Charnock 3, Mark Percival 2.
Wakefield U19s:
Tries: Sam Doherty, Tom Rogers.
Goals: Louis Nicholls.
Half Time: 24-4
Full Time: 34-10
Teams:
Saints
1. Danny Abram; 5. Ben Parry, 3. Mark Percival, 4. Jack Ashworth, 2. Lewis Galbraith; 6. Lewis Charnock, 7. Dave Hewitt; 8. Greg Richards, 9. Dom Speakman, 10. Tommy Holland, 11. Luke Thompson, 12. Alex Clare, 13. James Tilley.
Subs: 14.Matty Fozard, 15. Matt Wood, 17. Connor Dwyer, 21. Adam Hesketh.
Wakefield:
1. Curtis McDonald; 2. Tom Johnstone, 3. Sam Doherty, 4. Tom Rogers, 5. Jamahl Hunt; 6. Louis Nicholls, 7. Josh Kittrick; 17. Ben Shulver, 9. Josh Murphy, 10. Reece Trout, 11. Jack Walton, 12. Jack Anderson, 13. Corbyn Kilday.
Subs: 8. James Healy, 14. Danny Maskill, 15. Jack Teanby, 16. Luke Metcalfe.
