Our Scholars took to the field at Blackbrook, as they took on Warrington Wolves on Wednesday.
The Saints would get over for the first try of the game with five minutes gone on the clock. A knock on from Warrington gave the Saints the ball in the Wolves half. A penalty for a high tackle soon followed, presenting the Saints with even better field position to attack the Warrington line. On the last tackle the ball was played out the back to Jack Campbell who put boot to ball with a lovely grubber kick to corner for Noah Carter to chase and dive on to score in the corner and open the scoring. Alfie Maden stepped up to convert, but his kick just went wide of the posts, 4-0.
A second for the Saints followed with 22 gone on the clock.! Again the Saints took to attacking down the right side, with loose forward Chris Matagi tying in the defensive line, then playing out the back releasing Maden into space, who then found the number one Campbell again who this time ran into the space to slide over and score in the corner. Again Maden stepped up, but his kick wasn’t on target, 8-0 the Saints led.
Warrington would however strike back just before the break. The Wolves on the back of a quick play the ball attacked the Saints right, with Ewan Irwin putting the ball into the hands of Oliver Bishop who charged through the line, before finding Irwin back inside to cross under the posts. Bishop converted the score from right in front to narrow the Saints lead to two at the break, 8-6.
The Wolves would go over again not long after the break. Irwin again found his back-row partner Bishop on the right edge, who again broke through the line, this time finding centre Bailey Lund in support to run away and ground the ball, despite the best efforts from the retreating Saints defence. A successful conversion again from Bishop put Warrington ahead, 8-12.
Another score followed for the Wolves in the 49th minute. Irwin again attacking the Saints line, he tied in the Saints defence, before finding a pass to Bishop who ran towards the line from 2o metres out, and hold off Campbell to ground the ball in the corner. Bishop couldn’t convert, leaving the score at 8-16.
Nines minutes later Warrington crossed over again. The Wolves off a back of a quick play the ball worked their way up the field, with the ball ending up in the hands of Thomas Rhodes who continued the attack with a kick to the corner, which Harry Knight reacted to first to collect the ball and ground the ball in the corner. Again, Bishop couldn’t convert the try, 8-20.
But the young Saints continued to battle in the game, and wouldn’t go down with out a fight. With ten minutes remaining on the clock, the Saints forced an error from the Wolves as they came out of their own half and presented them with a chance to get over again and get back into the game. 10 metres out, the Saints played right from the scrum to Luke Brighouse, who stepped back inside to cross over and score near the corner. Jack Campbell stepped up to the kicking duties, and sent the ball through the up-rights from close to the side-line to get the Saints back into the game, 14-20.
But despite the efforts from the Saints, it would be Warrington who would cross over for the final score of the game and seal the win. A kick over the top down the left edge was kept in by Knight with the boot, with his kick back inside scooped up by Cameron Cooper to score in the corner. Bishop couldn’t convert, but with time only left for one play from the restart it was enough to wrap up the win for the Wolves, 14-24.
A disappointing result for the Scholars, who continued to battle in the game right until the end in a tough, wet contest down at Blackbrook. The Scholars take on the Castleford Tigers next up over in Yorkshire on the 17th of April, as they look to get their first win of the season.
Saints Team: 1. Jack Campbell, 2. Noah Carter, 3. Jacob Taylor, 4. Luke Brighouse, 5. Ollie Roby, 6. Alfie Maden, 7. Tyler McGann, 8. Declan Lyon, 9. Ryan Davidson, 10. Leon Johnson, 11. Oscar Knox, 12. Nathan Percival, 13, Chris Matagi.
Bench: 14. Cooper Jones, 15. Jude Morley, 16. Finley Beale, 17. Ewan Gilford, 18. Isaac Sams, 19. James Moss.
Tries: Noah Carter, Jack Campbell, Luke Brighouse.
Goals: Alfie Maden (0 from 2), Jack Campbell (1 from 1).
Warrington Team: 1. Samuel Dickenson, 2. Alexander Wilson, 3. Bailey Lund, 4. Harry Knight, 5. Benjamin Goulden, 6. Ewan Irwin, 7. Thomas Rhodes, 8. Leon Stretton, 9. Leyton Haddrell, 10. Isaac Holdsworth, 11. Oliver Bishop, 12. Coby Doyle, 13. Ellis Livesey.
Bench: 14. Cameron Cooper, 15 Jake Sheppard, 16. Finlay Walker, 17. Brady Bottomley, 18. Alfie Poles, 19. Thomas Marshall, 20. Bobby Tyerman.
Tries: Benjamin Irwin, Bailey Lund, Oliver Bishop, Harry Knight, Cameron Cooper.
Goals: Oliver Bishop (2 from 5).
