Saints made it seven wins in our last eight games with a 22-0 victory over Castleford Tigers in Round 17 of Betfred Super League 2023!

Both sides had spells of pressure in the opening ten minutes. Early on, Saints forced two dropouts attacking the West Stand, whilst a 40/20 from Riley Dean gave Castleford ball in the Saints ten, but strong Saints defence held them out.

After a tight opening quarter, the hosts took the lead in the 17th minute. A high kick to the left corner from Lewis Dodd was patted down backwards by Jon Bennison, Sione Mata’utia picked the loose ball up and was able to force his way over from close range to open the scoring. Mark Percival’s kick went wide, 4-0 Saints led.

A second almost followed soon after. Saints moved the ball down the right as Jonny Lomax made a break, Konrad Hurrell tried to find Will Hopoate on the wing, but the ball went to ground and Castleford were able to recover the ball.

Saints had another opportunity with nine minutes of the half to go. A move downfield ended with Saints on the Castleford line, James Roby tried a kick on the last but it was claimed by the visitors and that allowed them to move the other way.

Just before the break, Saints did grab their second try of the evening. A Kenny Edwards knock on gave Saints a scrum ten metres out, from it Roby found Lomax, he found Jack Welsby who cut inside on his right foot through a gap to dive over. Percival added the extras, 10-0 the hosts led at the break in a very wet Totally Wicked Stadium.

As the second 40 got underway, try-scorer Mata’utia was taken off at the break for a HIA. The forward did return to the action shortly after the game got back underway though.

The third try of the game came 15 minutes into the second half. Saints went down the left edge and Lomax threw a cut-out pass to Bennison on the left wing, he ran into a Castleford defender but the impact allowed Saints’ number five to ground the ball over the line. Percival added the two from the left touchline, 16-0 Saints led.

Castleford had a good chance to grab some points back with 20 minutes to go. Jacob Miller kicked high to their left corner and it was claimed by Jason Qareqare but a great tackle by Hopoate forced the Castleford winger into touch. Hurrell was then replaced for a HIA after an earlier clash with Albert Vete just inside the Saints half. Saints number 23, who signed a new contract this week, returned to the field shortly before the end of the game.

The hosts almost had another try shortly after. Welsby peaked his head through the visitors’ line and found James Bell, he then tried to find Lomax with an offload but the ball went to ground as he tried to grab it under pressure. Another chance soon followed as Saints headed towards the sticks with Lomax following some steps, but our number six was held up by a combination of the post and a scrambling Tigers defence.

With six minutes to go, Saints had another. From a scrum it was thrown left and that allowed Percival to slide over from close range. He added the extras to his own four-pointer, 22-0 Saints led.

With the last play of the game, Widdop looked to break down the Saints right edge, but Hurrell pushed the Castleford man into touch, as Saints returned to winning ways with a 22-0 victory over Castleford Tigers at a very wet Totally Wicked Stadium!

Match Summary

Saints Team: Jack Welsby, Will Hopoate, Konrad Hurrell, Mark Percival, Jon Bennison, Jonny Lomax, Lewis Dodd, Alex Walmsley, James Roby, Matty Lees, Sione Mata’utia, James Bell, Morgan Knowles.

Interchanges: Joey Lussick, Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Agnatius Paasi, George Delaney.

18th Man: Ben Davies.

Tries: Sione Mata’utia (17), Jack Welsby (37), Jon Bennison (55), Mark Percival (74)

Conversions: Mark Percival (3 from 4)

Castleford Tigers Team: Gareth Widdop, Will Tate, Alex Mellor, Jordan Turner, Jason Qareqare, Riley Dean, Jacob Miller, George Griffin, Jack Broadbent, Liam Watts, Alex Sutcliffe, Kenny Edwards, Sam Hall.

Interchanges: Albert Vete, Muizz Mustapha, Cain Robb, Brad Martin.

18th Man: Jacob Hookem.

Tries: 

Conversions: 

HT: 10-0

FT: 22-0

Attendance: 11,490

Saints Line up

1 Jack Welsby
3 Will Hopoate
3 Konrad Hurrell
4 Mark Percival
5 Jon Bennison
7 Jonny Lomax
7 Lewis Dodd
8 Alex Walmsley
James Roby
10 Matty Lees
11 Sione Mata’utia
15 James Bell
13 Morgan Knowles
14 Joey Lussick
15 Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook
17 Agnatius Paasi
19 George Delaney

Castleford Tigers Line up

6 Gareth Widdop
39 Will Tate
12 Alex Mellor
3 Jordan Turner
31 Jason Qareqare
40 Riley Dean
7 Jacob Miller
10 George Griffin
17 Jack Broadbent
32 Liam Watts
15 Alex Sutcliffe
11 Kenny Edwards
28 Sam Hall
19 Albert Vete
20 Muizz Mustapha
24 Cain Robb
25 Brad Martin

Last updated 30 Jun 23 21:42:19

☔ Winning in the rain 😇

Saints with a great home win over the Tigers!

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76'
Goal
Mark Percival for Saints

Another great kick from Percival!

😇 22-0 🐯

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75'
Try
Mark Percival for Saints

TRYYYYYY! What a couple of days for Percy, welcoming his new-born daughter Eliza Rose and a great score for his beloved Saints – fending and powering over!

😇 20-0 🐯

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73'

Big Al sends a Cas man flying but before being tackled by another offloads out, Lussick gets it and is tackled from behind but knocks on.

😇 16-0 🐯

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71'

More good defence from the Saints keeping the visitors inside their own 30.

🔄 Delaney off, Paasi on. Delaney getting a warm reception as he walks towards the West Stand ♥

😇 16-0 🐯

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70'

Lomax with Cas on their own line steps twice trying to score, he’s oh so close but Tigers somehow hold him up well.

😇 16-0 🐯

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68'

🔄 LMS off, Walmsley on.

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66'

Saints come close! Good hands on the right, Welsby as he’s tackled offloads to Bell but like in the first half with the try line begging it slips out in the rain.

😇 16-0 🐯

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65'

Fantastic defence from Saints keeping Cas in their own 20.

🔄Roby off, Lussick on.

😇 16-0 🐯

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62'

🔄 Hurrell comes off, Knowles back on.

The Saints faithful give him a big round of applause as he makes way. We’ve got our Tongan star signed up for another year! 😊

😇 16-0 🐯

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61'

Brilliant defence from Hoppa! He stops Qareqare in the corner and takes him in touch!

😇 16-0 🐯

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60'

Hurrell cops a hit off Vete, stays down after it and Koni himself shakes it off and rushes back to the line, geeing himself up.

😇 16-0 🐯

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57'
Goal
Mark Percival for Saints

👏 Superb kick in the pouring rain from Percy, off the touchline!

😇 16-0 🐯

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55'
Try
Jon Bennison for Saints

TRYYYY! BENNOOOO! A much deserved score for Jon, the Saints run fast to the left, a Lomax hit-out pass finds him and he powers over the Cas fullback to score in the corner!

😇 14-0 🐯

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54'

🔄 Paasi off, Lees on.

😇 10-0 🐯

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52'

Bennison with a fantastic catch which crossed the field high, he took it calmly on the full. 👐

😇 10-0 🐯

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50'

A towering high spiralling bomb from Dodd is knocked on, Saints scrum 10m out, but on the first run we knock on close to the line. Let off for Castleford.

😇 10-0 🐯

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46'

The Red V run it towards Bennison in the corner, a great run from Percival almost unlocks the defence but Cas scramble very well to stop the charge.

😇 10-0 🐯

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44'

Calm start from both, with the rain still heavily coming down.

😇 10-0 🐯

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40'

Back underway for the second half!

Sione Mata’utia has come off for a HIA, Knowles is back on.

😇 10-0 🐯

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HT
38'
Goal
Mark Percival for Saints

✌ Percy adds the two!

😇 10-0 🐯

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37'
Try
Jack Welsby for Saints

TRYYYY! Cas get a scrum off a great hit by LMS forcing a Cas error and Jack Welsby on the left-edge cuts inside to score!

😇 8-0 🐯

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36'

☔ It is *pouring* down here, the conditions seeing a number of slips from either side.

GREAT HIT by LMS forces a Cas error and we get a scrum 10m out.

😇 4-0 🐯

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35'

🔄 Delaney on, Lees off.

😇 4-0 🐯

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32'

The Red V again have the visitors on their own line, Roby next to the line goes for a short grubber but it’s a great take by Cas to stop us.

😇 4-0 🐯

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30'

The Tigers with a rare sight line of the try line but give away a penalty and can’t make their position pay this time.

😇 4-0 🐯

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28'

28′: More strong defence this time the Tigers are pinned in their 30m.

🔄 LMS on, Knowles off.

😇 4-0 🐯

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26'

Another good defensive set, keeping Cas again in their own 40m.

😇 4-0 🐯

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23'

Sam Hall has to come off the field for a HIA, looks a bit wobbly. Muizz Mustapha comes on.

😇 4-0 🐯

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21'

Saints come close! With space on the right-edge Hurrell runs and forces a pass out to Hopoate which doesn’t work and ends our attack.

😇 4-0 🐯

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20'

Great defensive set by Cas on the back of points, keeping the visitors inside their own 40.

😇 4-0 🐯

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18'

Percival is on kicking duties and he pulls this one wide.

😇 4-0 🐯

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17'
Try
Sione Mata'utia for Saints

Saints strike first with Sione Mata’utia! A Dodd chip is palmed back by Bennison well, and the back-rower is there in support to ground it!

😇 4-0 🐯

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11'

Saints on the back of an offside penalty challenge the Cas line, Bell comes oh so close to points but in the rain the ball slips out of his hands with the try line begging.

😇 0-0 🐯

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11'

Saints on the back of an offside penalty challenge the Cas line, Bell comes oh so close to points but in the rain the ball slips out of his hands with the try line begging.

😇 0-0 🐯

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11'

11′: Saints on the back of an offside penalty challenge the Cas line, Bell comes oh so close to the opening points but in the rain the ball slips out of his hands with the try line begging.

😇 0-0 🐯

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8'

Great set by Saints off the pen, they march Cas back to their own line. Lomax almost jukes his way past the defenders but is stopped. Dodd with a small kick gets a GLDO.

😇 0-0 🐯

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6'

40/20 by Castleford gives them an attacking set in good field position, but on the last they are offside on a kick, stopping their threat.

😇 0-0 🐯

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3'

Great lofted kick by Dodd, the chase is even better and Widdop is tackled in the in-goal for a GLDO.

😇 0-0 🐯

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Kick Off

KICK-OFF! Game underway between the Saints and the Tigers!

😇 0-0 🐯

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Warming up in the rain 🌧 😊

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Warming up in the rain 🌧 😊

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The Saints boss also discussed about Hopoate on the wing, Ritson had a niggling knee issue in the week and is therefore rested. Wellens expects Hopoate and Hurrell’s edge to be strong due to the two being close.

Paul Wellens has confirmed in his pre-match update that Joe Batchelor felt his hamstring get tight during Captain’s Run so is rested, and Bell will start.

📋 Here’s how the Saints line-up for tonight’s Super League clash with Castleford Tigers!

Percival is back, Hopoate goes to the wing, Bell starts in the back-row, and youngster Delaney is on the bench!

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📋 Academy team news is in!

This is how your Saints Academy line-up for this afternoon’s curtain raiser 👊

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📋 Academy team news is in!

This is how your Saints Academy line-up for this afternoon’s curtain raiser 👊

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⚪ 𝗚𝗔𝗠𝗘𝗗𝗔𝗬 🔴

🆚 Castleford Tigers
✌ Double Header
📌 Totally Wicked Stadium
⏰ Academy 5:15pm / First Team 8pm
🎟 Tickets available online

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