Saints, missing eight first team starters, clinically dispatched Catalans Dragons at the Totally Wicked Stadium on our triple header Sunday after a 50 points to 14 victory which saw Matty Costello grab his first career hat-trick.
Saints fell behind to an early Brayden Wiliame try but came storming back with first half tries from Adam Swift, Zeb Taia and Aaron Smith. Second half scores from the returning Theo Fages, Dom Peyroux, Jack Welsby and a hat-trick from Matty Costello secured another two points for Justin Holbrook’s men. Brayden Wiliame did grab a late second before Lewis Tierney scored a further late consolation.
Costello, Fages, Alex Walmsley, Taia and Peyroux all returned as Lachlan Coote, Jonny Lomax and James Roby were rested, whilst Tommy Makinson and Luke Thompson joined Mark Percival and Louie-McCarthy Scarsbrook missing out through injury. Morgan Knowles was suspended.
The game started with the visitors on top and within the opening minutes Catalans were in at the corner through Wiliame after a Matt Whitley pass out wide fed the winger for an early lead.
Saints hit back in the 10th minute after a neat kick through from Peyroux was then kicked on by Kevin Naiqama and Swift was first to the ball to touch down.
Another try quickly followed when Fages put Taia through the gap with a short ball to score and give Saints a 10-6 lead with 20 minutes on the clock. Richardson adding the extras.
The impressive Aaron Smith grabbed Saints third try of the game after the hooker powered his way through the Dragons knocking over two Catalans defenders to score under the posts.
Catalans did get the last try of the first half after a flowing move on the right edge resulted in Wiliame scoring his second in the corner sending the teams in at half time with the score at Saints 16-10 Catalans.
Saints started the second half in a blistering fashion scoring three tries in the opening 12 minutes of the second half thanks to tries from Fages, Peyroux and Costello.
Fages latched on to Richardson’s pass and he avoided the oncoming tackle to score in the corner, before Peyroux got on the score sheet after an excellent offload from Danny Richardson put Swift away down the line before stepping back inside the defender and finding an offload to Peyroux to go over.
Costello grabbed his first Saints try of the season after a flowing move from right to left allowed Fages to switch the play with a long ball to Taia, who put Costello in.
Catalans pulled a try back on the hour mark after a cut-out pass found Lewis Tierney in the corner.
That didn’t stop Saints as we were back on top and in again in a matter of minutes after Welsby latched onto a kick through and scored his second try in as many games.
Costello grabbed his second of the game after the centre through the dummy and crashed over before claiming his hat-trick, finishing off a excellent move in the corner as a young Saints go marching on again in front of over 11,000 fans.
Match Summary
Saints
Starting 13: Jack Welsby, Adam Swift, Kevin Naiqama, Matty Costello, Regan Grace, Theo Fages, Danny Richardson, Alex Walmsley, Aaron Smith, Matty Lees, Zeb Taia, Dom Peyroux, Morgan Knowles, Joseph Paulo.
Interchanges: Kyle Amor, Jack Ashworth, James Bentley, Joe Batchelor.
Tries: Adam Swift (10) Zeb Taia (23) Aaron Smith (30) Theo Fages (44) Dominic Peyroux (51) Matty Costello (54,71,76) Jack Welsby (67)
Goals: Richardson 7 from 9.
Catalans
Starting 13: Tony Gigot, David Mead, Samisoni Langi, Brayden Wiliame, Lewis Tierney, Sam Tomkins, Matty Smith, Julian Bousquet, Alrix Da Costa, Sam Moa, Mickael Goudemand, Matt Whitley, Remi Casty.
Interchanges: Kenny Edwards, Mickael Simon, Jason Baitieri, Sam Kasiano.
Tries: Brayden Wiliame (4,36) Lewis Tierney (61).
Goals: Tomkins 1 from 3.
HT: 16-10
FT: 50-14
ATT: 11,268
PlattyPhoto captures the action
