Saints Academy were dominant again this time with a huge 54-24 win over Bradford Bulls over the weekend.
The Saints kicked the game off and immediately asserted their dominance in the game by forcing the Bulls to drop out after being trapped in-goal. From the resulting drop-out, the ball was gradually worked closer to the Bulls line before being shipped right to Sam Haynes who crossed over in the corner. Will Roberts nailed the conversion from out wide, putting the Saints 6-0 ahead.
Roberts then followed on with his impressive kicking, and got the Saints downfield with a 40/20. Skipper Kal Devine and Dayon Sambou both found themselves held up other the line, before Ben Lane was fed the ball on the right and delivered a cut out ball to Ben Will to touch down in the corner. Roberts converted the try, doubling the lead to 12-0.
As the 10 minute mark hit, Bradford hit back when George Flanagan Jr received the ball out the back on the left and went through a gap to score. He converted his own try, reducing the Saints lead to 12-6.
It didn’t take long for the Saints to hit back, when the Bulls knocked the ball on stopping a promising Saints attack down the right side. From the resulting scrum the ball was played to Lane who found Keane Gilford on the left wing to go over in the corner. Roberts’ conversion narrowly missed, 16-6.
As the game approached the 20th minute, the Saints struck again with some great off the cuff play which resulted in the ball eventually finding its way to the right to Lane who gave a lovely short ball to Haynes who ran away to score his second in the right. Roberts converted the try from out wide and set Saints in control at 22-6.
But the Bulls didn’t go away and 6 minutes later replied with a try of their own when Flanagan Jr played in Todd Horner to go in and score in the right corner despite the efforts of Lane rushing around the back from Fullback. Flanagan Jr missed the kick, reducing the lead to 22-10.
With 10 minutes left of the first half, Bradford were awarded back to back penalties and found themselves set up on the Saints line, and on the fifth tackle stabbed the ball through the line where Joe Kellett got to the ball first and grounded it. Flanagan Jr converted the try, meaning the game entered half-time at 22-16.
The Saints started the second half in the same way they started the first. Four minutes into the half Alfie Sinclair got the side right up to the line, and played the ball quickly for Ciaran Nolan to pick the ball up and throw a dummy and ground the ball under the posts. Roberts converted from right in front, 28-16.
Four minutes later the Saints were in again when skipper Cal Devine received the ball close to the line and barged over to score to the right of the posts. Roberts again converted the try, 34-16.
53 minutes into the game Bradford scored again when another grubber kick was sent into the in-goal and batted back infield by a Bulls player and fell into the hands of Max Hassan to score. The kick was missed by Flanagan Jr, cutting the lead back down to 34-20.
Just five minutes later, the Saints extended their lead again when Max McGucken was given the ball on the last tackle and stepped back onto the left to feed Roberts to go over in the right for a well deserved try, and after converting his score from out wide the score was 40-20.
As the 60 minute mark passed the Saints were in again when a kick to the right corner where Will chased the ball and was rewarded with a favoured bounce to see him go in for his second of the game. Roberts’ kick was taken in the wind wide of the post, leaving the score at 44-20.
The score was again increased when the ball was played left again to McGucken who gave the ball to Sambou who went over in the right to get himself on the score sheet. Roberts’ kick just went wide, 48-20.
The Bulls did get themselves on the board one last time when Myles Lawford picked up a loose offload and skipped through the line to race away and score near the upright. Flanagan Jr conversion went wide, 48-24.
The final try of the game came for the Saints when the ball was shifted from right to left to Roberts who delivered a short ball to Eliot Pepopshi who crashed over to ground the ball. Roberts converted the try meaning the final score was 54-24 and meant the academy maintained their 100% record this season!
Match Summary
Saints team: Ben Lane, Ben Will, Sam Haynes, Dayon Sambou, Keane Gilford, Max McGucken, Will Roberts, Leunbou Bardyel Wells, Ciaran Nolan, Noah Stephens, Alfie Pyke, Jonathan Vaughan, Cal Devine.
Bench: Harvey Braddish, Alfie Sinclair, Eliot Peposhi, Sam Oakes.
Tries: Sam Haynes (2), Ben Will (2), Keane Gilford, Dayon Sambou, Will Roberts, Ciaran Nolan, Cal Devine, Eliot Peposhi.
Goals: Wil Roberts (7 from 10).
Bradford team: George Flanagan Jr, Ethan Banhan, Todd Horner, Max Hassan, Kelby Haywood, Josh Perkins, Myles Lawford, Jack Toulson, Harry Milnes, Bailey Arnold, Joe Kellett, Bradley Wheeler, Charlie Barrett.
Bench: Lewis Hough, Jack Iceton, Harry Thompson, Louie Walker.
Tries: George Flanagan Jr, Todd Horner, Max Hassen, Myles Lawford, Joe Kellett.
Goals: George Flanagan Jr (2 from 5).
HT: 22-16
FT: 54-24
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