Saints beat Wigan on Derby Day!

🔴⚪ 𝙎𝘼𝙄𝙉𝙏𝙎 𝙏𝙀𝘼𝙈 𝙉𝙀𝙒𝙎! 🔴⚪

Introducing our our Derby Day team! ✊

Welcome @James_BeII who makes his Saints debut! 🙌 Jon Bennison starts on the wing as Will Hopoate misses out.#COYS

— St.Helens R.F.C. (@Saints1890) April 15, 2022

Wigan had the first chance of the game as they broke downfield and looked destined to score, but Jake Bibby was unable to find Liam Farrell with a simple pass with only Jack Welsby to beat.

Saints responded well to the early Wigan pressure. The ball was worked from left to right through the hands of Jonny Lomax and Welsby to Konrad Hurrell, he then went over the top of a Wigan defender and looked to ground the ball. Despite the referee sending it up as a try, the video referee judged that Hurrell had dropped the ball as he went to ground it so the score remained 0-0.

Saints had another decision sent to the video referee in the 16th minute. John Bateman fumbled the ball in the middle of the pitch and Joe Batchelor won the race to score under the sticks. After a video referee review, the try was once again ruled out for a knock on….

Wigan then took the lead. Jai Field latched onto a short ball from Thomas Leuluai, and broke through the Saints line and the covering Welsby to score in the right corner. Field was unable to convert his own try – 4-0 Wigan led.

Once again, Saints responded well. After earning a six-again call, the ball was worked out right and Hurrell found Tommy Makinson on the right wing to finish spectacularly in the corner. Makinson was unable to convert so the scores were tied at 4-4.

WIGAN'S LEAD DOESN'T LAST LONG

Tommy Makinson gets his eleventh try of the season in the Super League! 🙌 pic.twitter.com/MXyiw35b0N

— Sky Sports Rugby League (@SkySportsRL) April 15, 2022

Saints then took the lead ten minutes later. The hosts broke down the right wing, as Hurrell once again found Makinson out the back, he then sped down the wing and found Jonny Lomax on his inside who strolled under the sticks. Makinson converted, 10-4 Saints led.

Slick from Saints 🔥#SuperLeague #SLStHWig pic.twitter.com/S2eZv0Jaca

— Betfred Super League (@SuperLeague) April 15, 2022

Saints then had the chance to increase our lead as we were awarded a penalty in front of the sticks in the final minute of the half. It was converted to give Kristian Woolf’s men a 12-4 lead at the break.

HT: 🔴⚪ Saints 12-4 Wigan 🍒⚪

So far, so good….#COYS

— St.Helens R.F.C. (@Saints1890) April 15, 2022

The video referee was once again called upon in the 48th minute. Saints forced a Wigan error in their own territory, a couple of tackles later, Lomax threw a cut-out pass to Mark Percival, he then broke a tackle and offloaded to Joe Batchelor and he stretched over to score from close range. The try was this time awarded upon review. Makinson missed the conversion, 16-4.

Is this the right call? 👀

Joe Batchelor forces his way over and Saints extend their lead! pic.twitter.com/e9u2ufOQzv

— Sky Sports Rugby League (@SkySportsRL) April 15, 2022

Saints then had a chance to make it a three-score game as Wigan were penalised for a high tackle on the impressive debuting James Bell. Makinson added the two points to make it 18-4.

Sam Powell was then sent to the sin bin for the visitors after a nasty looking challenge on Jon Bennison.

The video referee was called on once again just after the hour mark. A high kick by Saints was not dealt with by the visitors, the ball eventually bounced into Percival’s hands and he grounded the ball to score. The video referee Chris Kendall eventually awarded the try after a long look. Makinson missed the conversion, 22-4.

ANOTHER video referee. ANOTHER try for St Helens 😰

Mark Percival gets it over this time! pic.twitter.com/Jrhi9BESh6

— Sky Sports Rugby League (@SkySportsRL) April 15, 2022

Those were to be the final points of the game, as Saints continued their impressive run against their local rivals with a 22-4 victory over the Wigan Warriors on Derby Day!

FT: 🔴⚪ Saints 22-4 Wigan 🍒⚪

𝘿𝙀𝙍𝘽𝙔 𝘿𝘼𝙔 𝘿𝙀𝙇𝙄𝙂𝙃𝙏! 😃#COYS

— St.Helens R.F.C. (@Saints1890) April 15, 2022

Match Summary

Saints Team: Jack Welsby, Tommy Makinson, Konrad Hurrell, Mark Percival, Jon Bennison, Jonny Lomax, Lewis Dodd, Alex Walmsley, James Roby, Matty Lees, Joe Batchelor, James Bell, Morgan Knowles.

Interchanges: Joey Lussick, Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Agnatius Paasi, Jake Wingfield.

Tries: Tommy Makinson (23), Jonny Lomax (33), Joe Batchelor (48), Mark Percival (64)

Conversions: Tommy Makinson (1 from 4)

Penalties: Tommy Makinson (2 from 2)

HT: 12-4

FT: 22-4

Attendance: 17,980