It was scintillating performance when it mattered for the Saints with eight different try scorers helping to rack up a 48-10 win over Wakefield Trinity in the Coral Challenge Cup Quarter Final at the Totally Wicked Stadium.
The game started in perfect fashion with Saints scoring on their very first set through Lachlan Coote.
Wakefield replied instantly after forcing a knock on, when they threw the ball out wide to the left and debutant Jack Croft handed off the Saints defender before crashing over in the corner. Brough converting off the touchline to level the score at 6-6 with 6 minutes played.
Saints edged themselves ahead 8-6 in the 14th minute with Coote kicking a penalty after Walmsley caused mayhem in the Wakefield line and won a penalty in front of the posts.
A Tommy Makinson special in the corner extended Saints’ lead to 14-6. Richardson with the superb miss out pass and the England International and Golden Boot winner did the rest.
Saints were in again after a matter of minutes when Wakefield knocked on and Peyroux pounced on the loose ball to break away. He then gave the ball to Naiqama, who was brought down close to the line. On the next tackle the ball went out wide to the right and Richardson put Knowles over in the corner. Coote was unable add the extras.
Minutes later an excellent break from Morgan Knowles forced Ryan Hampshire to give away a penalty and he was sent to the sin bin for a professional foul. Coote took the two on offer and extended Saints lead to 20-6 with 10 minutes left in the first half.
Saints then made the extra man count in the 32nd minute, when Roby from the play of the ball went down the short side and found Taia who put Grace in at the corner for a simple finish giving Saints a 24-6 lead.
In the final minutes of the first half Coote added another penalty sending the teams in at the break with the Saints 26-6 up.
Wakefield started the second half the better of the two teams putting Saints under pressure and they were rewarded in the 50th minute after Tyler Randell was first to a neat kick through from Danny Brough. He was unable to add the extras, making it Saints 26-10 Wakefield.
Saints put then applied the pressure on Wakefield again, forcing errors from the visitors who were penalised for dissent and Saints took full advantage when Taia took a short ball from Paulo and crashed through the defensive line and touched down under the posts.
Two more quick fire tries from Percival and Lomax put the game to bed. Percy was the first to score after Zeb Taia broke through the Wakefield line, fed Coote who then passed the ball inside to score under the posts on his return.
Jonny Lomax was the next after Taia picked up a loose Wakefield pass and broke away to feed Lomax to touchdown. Coote again with the conversion giving Saints a 44-10 lead.
The scoring didn’t stop there as Coote broke the line again before giving the ball to Naiqama who raced clear of the covering defenders extended Saints lead to 48-10 and that is how it finished.
Saints secure a dominant victory sending us into the Challenge cup Semi Final!
Match Summary:
Saints: Coote, Makinson, Naiqama, Percival, Grace, Lomax, Richardson, Walmsley, Roby, Thompson, Peyroux, Taia, Knowles.
Interchanges: Lees, Paulo, Ashworth, McCarthy-Scarsbrook
Tries: Coote (3) Makinson (21), Knowles (24), Grace (33), Taia (62),Percival (65), Lomax (71), Naiqama (76)
Goals: Coote (5 from 8)
Penalties: Coote (3 from 3)
Wakefield Trinity: Hampshire, Kershaw, Lynne, Croft, Jones-Bishop, Miller, Brough,England, Randell, Kopczak, Kirmond, Ashurst, Tanginoa
Interchanges: Crowther, Wood, King, Hirst
Tries: Croft (6), Randell (51)
Goals: Brough (1 from 2)
HT: 26-6
FT: 48-10
ATT: 6,453
Platty Photos captured the win
