Academy secure home Grand Final with semi-final win over Hull FC

Our young Saints have secured themselves a home Grand Final against the Leeds Rhinos following a semi-final win over Hull FC!

Prior to kick-off both sides stood and observed a minute’s silence, followed by the National Anthem to honour and pay our respects and tributes to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II following her passing this week.

The Saints dominated the first 20 minutes of the game, with most of the ball being played within the Hull half, with Dayon Sambou being held up as he was going over in the corner and George Delaney being held up also. But the boatload of Saints pressure was worth nothing as with their first proper attacking set, Hull’s Logan Moy went over after dummying the line to score after 25 minutes. Sully Medforth missed the kick leaving the black and whites 0-4 ahead.

But just five minutes later the Saints were in back in the Hull 20 metre area, with the ball ending up with Delaney who charged towards the line and scored under the posts. Will Roberts converted the try putting the Saints ahead, 6-4.

It was two tries in five minutes as in the 35th minute a kick to the corner in the air from Ellis Archer was claimed brilliantly by Keane Gilford as he rose above everyone to claim the ball and run on an angle to score under the posts. Roberts converted from in-front, extending the lead to 12-4.

And the scoring didn’t stop there for the Saints, after Hull spilled the ball on the attack 10 away from the Saints line, Ben Will collected the loose ball off the floor to run the length of the field to score the try under the posts. Roberts converted to send the Saints into the half-time break ahead at 18-4.

It was Hull who started the second half better, with a kick to the in-goal chased by Brandon Wright who grounded the ball in the in-goal after just two minutes. Medforth converted the kick, reducing the Saints lead to eight points, 18-10.

However, in the 52nd minute Saints struck back. The ball was played to the right where Roberts received the ball out the back and threw a dummy, before cutting back inside to find his way to the line to score. Roberts’s couldn’t convert his own try as his attempt went just wide, 22-10.

Three minutes later Hull replied. A kick from Hull to the right corner was batted down by Gilford, but it was Mason Opie-Palmer who caught the ball as it came down and went straight into his arms to score. Medforth missed the kick, 22-14.

With 65 gone on the clock, Saints extended their lead again after an inside ball from Roberts to Ben Lane saw him break the FC line 40 meters out. He found the supporting captain McKenzie Buckley to his left who went away to go over and score to the left of the field. Roberts converted from the left, 28-14.

The final points of the game came in the 72nd minute when Buckley broke the line 30 metres out from the Hull FC try line and found Roberts in support to grab his second try, in which he converted to take the final score to 34-14 and with it secured the Saints a home Grand Final against the Leeds Rhinos who had defeated Warrington Wolves in the other semi-final.

Match Summary 

Saints team: Ben Lane, Ben Will, Jonathan Vaughan, Dayon Sambou, Keane Gilford, Ellis Archer, Will Roberts, George Delaney, Elliot Peposhi, Leon Cowen, McKenzie Buckley, Alfie Pyke, Niall Dean

Bench: Ciaran Nolan, Max McGucken, Noah Stephens, Nathan Bannerman.

Tries: Will Roberts (2), George Delaney, Keane Gilford, Ben Will, McKenzie Buckley.

Goals: Will Roberts (5 from 6).

Hull FC team: Logan Moy, Kieran Masike, Mason Opie-Palmer, Manoa Wacokecoke, Lewis Martin, Mackenzie Harman, Sully Medforth, Matty Laidlaw, Denive Balmforth, Sam Dulson, Lennon Bursell, Zach Jebson, Kye Armstrong.

Interchange: Callum Chapman-Peterson, Brandon Wright, Junior Mafi, Jude Thompson.

Tries: Logan Moy, Brandon Wright, Mason Opie-Palmer.

Goals: Sully Medforth (1 from 3).

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