Saints Scholars returned to winning ways after an impressive victory over Huddersfield Giants in Yorkshire on Wednesday evening.
The game couldn’t have started better for the Saints after an error from kick-off from Huddersfield presented the Saints with an early opportunity, which Harry Robertson took and scored to the right of the posts. George Whitby stepped up and converted the try, setting the Saints away with a 0-6 lead.
Three minutes later the Saints struck again when Jamie O’Keeffe struck from dummy half after a brilliant dummy saw him break the Huddersfield defence and cross over on the left. Whitby again converted the try and took the side to a 0-12 lead.
As the 10 minute mark struck, the Saints were again on the attack and after a break down the left, Whitby received the ball back inside and almost went over. Following the break the ball was played to Daniel Hill on the right who also went close to going over, before the ball was played back to the left where Owen Dagnall this time did go over near the corner to score. Whitby’s conversion hit the post, leaving a 0-16 scoreline.
Saints then scored again just as the game entered the 20th minute when the Saints forced the Giants into another error within their own half. Rocco Talbot-Piggott crossed over in the left corner after a set of nice passes through the hands where Dagnall played Talbot-Piggott in. Whitby’s conversion just went wide, meaning after 20 minutes the score was 0-20.
As half-time loomed, the Saints defended their own line incredibly well after repeated pressure from Huddersfield and reaped their reward when Robertson picked up a loose pass 10 metres from his own line and raced away to score under the posts, and with Whitby’s conversion successful, the score was 0-26 entering the break.
Just three minutes after half-time, the Saints went over to score again after forcing yet another error from Huddersfield in their own half creating more opportunities for the side. The ball was played beautifully through the hands where Whitby finds Robertson who steps through the defence to go over and score and complete his hat-trick. Whitby converted the try, leaving a 0-32 lead.
Five minutes later, the ball was played to the right in a dangerous position where Ellis Anderson was passed the ball and beat the Giants line and full back to go and score in the right corner. Whitby nailed the side-line conversion and gave the Saints a 0-38 score.
In the 52nd minute Huddersfield saw Billy Stead sent to the sin-bin following what was deemed a high tackle and it didn’t take long for the Saints to make the numerical disadvantage pay, when Robertson delivered a lovely looping ball over the top to Hill to go over and get himself a well deserved try in the corner. Whitby stepped up and converted the try, leaving the Saints with a 0-44 lead.
The Giants then got themselves on the board after 66 minutes when Samuel Betty barged his way over from a Huddersfield penalty five metres from the line. Matthew Hanley stepped up and converted the try, 6-44.
With five minutes remaining Huddersfield struck again when a grubber kick was put into the in-goal area and bounced up for Hanley to score, and after converting his own try, he left the score a 12-44.
The final play of the game was another Giants try when a kick to the corner was just too high for Talbot-Piggott to reach and Alec Chippendale collected the ball to score in the corner. Hanley missed the goal, leaving the final score at 16-44 as Saints Scholars returned home with a big win!
MATCH SUMMARY
Huddersfield team: Daniel Fretwell, Luke Hirst, Luke Breedon, Matthew Hanley, Morgan Thomas, Leo Ward, Marshall Land, Tyler Southernwood, Aahren Scott, Harley Firth, Joe Ritho, Max Merta, Samuel Beety.
Bench: Billy Stead, Alex Chippendale, Lucas Child, Yvann Fotso Kamgang, Kobyn Lloyd-Lumley, Max Donbavand, Thomas Hardy, Jacob Algar, Beau Morrison.
Sin-bin: Billy Stead (52 minutes).
Tries: Samuel Betty, Matthew Hanley, Alex Chippendale.
Goals: Matthew Hanley (2 from 3).
Saints team: Austin Daniel, Daniel Hill, Ellis Anderson, Owen Dagnall, Rocco Talbot-Piggott, Harry Robertson, George Whitby, Dan Frost, Jamie O’Keeffe, Morgan Barraclough-Watson, Harry Rigby, Deacon Swarbrick, Jake Davies.
Bench: Keane Elms, Matthew Evans, Malachi Price, Oliver Garmston, Callum Cottington, Reece Robinson.
Tries: Harry Robertson (3), Jamie O’Keeffe, Owen Dagnall, Rocco Talbot-Piggott, Ellis Anderson, Daniel Hill.
Goals: George Whitby (6 from 8)
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