Saints Get Off To Perfect Start

Mark Percival bagged a hat-trick whilst Ben Barba took the headlines with a superb performance.

He scored two and had a hand in several others as Saints gained some revenge for their semi-final defeat.

Saints had the job done in the first half as they led 22-0.

Barba scored within the first five minutes and then Jon Wilkin combined with the fullback to put Zeb Taia over.

And 25 minutes in it got better as Barba’s kick was acrobatically tipped back on the deadball line by Alex Walmsley for Lomax to touch down.

An amazing bit of skill for a prop that stands at 6 ft 5.

Two minutes later it was 22-0.

Lomax hammered home a 40-20 and on the resultant set, the ball found its away to Mark Percival who muscled his way over.

Richardson kicking his third conversion of the night.

Castleford showed that they weren’t going to go away by having a sustained period of pressure on the Saints’ line early in the second half.

But the home side weathered the storm and then extended their lead on 53 minutes.

Back to back drop outs gave Holbrook’s men the opportunity and Percival then showed great strength again for his second of the night.

Kyle Amor saw yellow for interference as the game reached its hour mark and Cas profited through Paul McShane.

But Saints wrestled back any sort of momentum with another try.

Firstly, Wilkin returned to the field to put in a big defensive stint and then Barba pulled off a wonder tackle on Greg Eden.

From there, Theo Fages found Taia and he duly turned it back inside for Barba’s second.

A super try straight from the training field.

Taia scored his second as he ran on a fine line from Fages’ ball and then Saints saved the best until last.

Saints moved the ball at speed from within their own half, Barba produced a stunning arced run and went 50 metres before he turned it back inside for Percival’s hat-trick.

A memorable end to a memorable night.

Match Summary:

Saints:
Tries: Barba (2), Taia (2), Lomax, Percival (3),
Goals: Richardson (7 from 8)

Tigers:
Tries: McShane
Goals: Gale (1 from 1)

Penalties Awarded:
Saints: 9
Tigers: 5

HT: 22-0
FT: 46-6

REF: J Child

ATT: 13,108

Teams:

Saints:
23. Ben Barba; 2. Tommy Makinson, 3, Ryan Morgan, 4. Mark Percival, 19. Regan Grace; 1. Jonny Lomax, 18. Danny Richardson; 10. Kyle Amor, 9. James Roby, 16. Luke Thompson, 17. Dom Peyroux, 11. Zeb Taia, 12. Jon Wilkin.
Subs: 6. Theo Fages, 8. Alex Walmsley, 13. Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook, 15. Morgan Knowles.

Tigers:
1. Ben Roberts; 2. Greg Minikin, 3. Jake Webster, 4. Michael Shenton, 5. Greg Eden; 21. Jake Trueman, 7. Luke Gale; 8. Junior Moors, 9. Paul McShane, 22. James Green, 11. Oliver Holmes, 12. Mike McMeeken, 14. Nathan Massey.
Subs: 10. Grant Millington, 13. Adam Milner, 15. Jesse Sene-Lefao, 18. Matt Cook.