Saints were impressive in attack and defence and came away with a comfortable 32-0 victory against the Toronto Wolfpack on a bitterly cold night at Warrington’s Halliwell Jones Stadium.
It was Saints who took an early lead after an error from Liam Kay gave Kristian Woolf’s men excellent field position. James Roby fed Jonny Lomax who stepped back inside three Toronto players to score under the posts. Makinson adding the extras.
Saints were in again after a dominant first twenty minutes which stopped Toronto from making any sort of in-roads into the Saints half as a knock on from Sonny Bill-Williams thirty meters from his own line gave Saints good field position and again Roby fed Lomax who threw the dummy and shot through the Toronto line to score. Makinson again converting.
Saints were in again on the very next set as a kick from Jack Welsby was knocked on by Tony Gigot a meter out from his own line. From the resulting scrum Roby found Theo Fages and he fed the impressive James Bentley, playing at centre, who crashed through the defensive line to touchdown under the sticks. Makinson added the two and then kicked a penalty just before half time to give Saints a 20 point lead at the break.
One sour note of the game, saw Bentley hobble off moments before half-time after picking up an ankle injury.
Saints started the second half the way they ended the first forcing the opposition into errors. We made the pressure count when Fages found LMS back on the inside and he crashed his way over.
Saints fifth and final try came after Bodene Thompson was sent off after a shoulder charge on Matty Lees. Saints made the extra man count on the next set when Aaron Smith scooted over from dummy half. Makinson converted from in front of the posts maintaining his perfect goal kicking on the night.
Thompson was then denied a try late on as Lees was adjudged to have obstructed a Toronto player. It didn’t matter mind as Saints ran out comfortable winners.
Match Summary
Toronto Wolfpack: Tony Gigot, Liam Kay, Blake Wallace, Ricky Leutele, Matthew Russell, Gareth O’Brien, Joshua Mccrone, Adam Sidlow, Andrew Ackers, Gadwin Springer, Bodene Thompson, Sonny-Bill Williams, Jon Wilkin
Interchanges: .Anthony Mullally, Thomas Olbison, Hakim Miloudi, Jack Wells.
Saints: Jack Welsby, Tommy Makinson, Kevin Naiqama, James Bentley, Regan Grace, Jonny Lomax, Theo Fages, Alex Walmsley, James Roby, Luke Thompson, Zeb Taia, Dom Peyroux, Morgan Knowles.
Interchanges: Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Matthew Lees, Joseph Paulo, Aaron Smith.
Tries: Lomax (8,23) Bentley (28), LMS (57), Smith ( 68).
Goals: Makinson (5 from 5)
Penalties: Makinson (1 from 1)
HT: 0-20
FT: 0-32
Attendance: TBC
Referee: M Griffiths
