Saints v Huddersfield Giants

Saints ran in nine tries to beat Huddersfield Giants 52-4 at the Totally Wicked Stadium, to move the Red V up to third in the table!

First Half

It was Saints who found themselves in good field position first. On the last inside the Giants 20, Moses Mbye kicked high towards the right edge but Sam Halsall claimed the high kick above Kyle Feldt and broke back the other way.

Ten minutes in, the hosts did take the lead. Tristan Sailor spotted a Giants defence and found Daryl Clark with an offload, he threw a dummy before halting and finding Mark Percival who scored in the corner. Feldt converted from the left edge, 6-0 Saints led.

Just before the midway point off the first half, the Giants were reduced to twelve for ten minutes. Taane Milne was unhappy after a sloppy play the ball inside his own half and said some words to referee Jack Smith and was then sent to the sin bin, with Saints also awarded a penalty.

The Red V made the most of the extra man during that attack. A few repeat sets on the Giants line gave Saints field position, the hosts went right, Jonny Lomax doing well to get a pass away to Harry Robertson under pressure and he found Feldt who strolled over in the corner. He turned his four-pointer into six with the right touchline conversion, 12-0 the hosts led.

A third Saints try followed almost instantly. The hosts marched downfield and Mbye kicked high on the last tackle to Saints’ right, Sailor outjumped George Flanagan in the air to claim the ball and broke away to score. Feldt added another two points, 18-0.

Quickly after, the hosts had a fourth try of the afternoon. Saints moved the ball well through the hands from right to left, Percival broke and found Owen Dagnall in support and he cut inside and raced all the way to the right edge before outpowering Flanagan to score. Feldt again adding the extras, 24-0.

Huddersfield responded before the break. With their first real attack, the ball was worked to former Saint Joe Greenwood who broke through a tackle before scoring. Flanagan missed the conversion attempt, 24-4.

Towards the end of the half Saints went close again following a break down the left edge, but Clark was unable to collect a pass and the visitors survived, as Saints led 24-4 at the break.

Second Half

It took less than 60 second half minutes for the Red V to add to our lead. Sailor spotted a gap down our right edge and broke, he found Lomax in support on his inside who strolled over under the sticks. Feldt added a simple conversion, 30-4.

A sixth try could have followed. Again Saints found joy down our left edge, Joe Batchelor tried to get an offload away as he went to ground but the referee ruled forward pass.

We weren’t to be denied for much longer though. Saints pushed forward, Morgan Knowles received the ball and broke through a retreating Giants line and spun over from close range to score. The four-pointer awarded after a brief video referee check. Feldt added another two points, 36-4 Saints led.

Saints could’ve had another. Percival found Jack Welsby with a great flick, he broke and found Dagnall in support on his outside but he was tackled just short of the line. Saints tried to move the ball about with the remaining tackles but this time Huddersfield’s defence stood firm.

Another chance followed. Again Saints went down the left deep in Giants territory, Percival got through a gap and tried to offload to Batchelor but the ball went forward across the line.

Huddersfield couldn’t stand firm for much longer though. The visitors made an error deep inside their own half, again Saints went left and Batchelor reached his arm out through a tackle to find Percival who scored his second try of the afternoon. Feldt maintained his 100% kicking record for the afternoon, 42-4.

Minutes later, try number eight arrived. Following a break downfield by Dagnall, Saints used up the rest of the tackle with Welsby kicking high towards the right edge on the last, Feldt jumped highest, collected and landed over the try-line for his second of the day. This time he was unable to convert, 46-4.

Saints quickly made it nine tries for the afternoon. Sailor, now playing at 9 with Welsby’s introduction, picked the ball up from dummy half inside the Saints half and broke through a gap, he then raced around the outside of Flanagan and showed his speed to score to the right of the posts. Feldt added another two points, 52-4.

Huddersfield tried to grab a consolation. They worked the ball through the hands down their left edge and Halsall broke before trying to pass inside which went to ground. The referee ruled it had touched a Saints hand which gave the visitors a repeat set ten metres out. They spent a full set camped on our line but fumbled it on the last, as Saints once again held firm.

Both sides tried to find a way through but no more points followed, as Saints moved up to third place in the Betfred Super League table after a comfortable 52-4 victory against the Giants!

Match Summary

Saints Team: Tristan Sailor, Kyle Feldt, Harry Robertson, Mark Percival, Owen Dagnall, Jonny Lomax, Moses Mbye, Alex Walmsley, Daryl Clark, Matty Lees, Joe Batchelor, Matt Whitley, Morgan Knowles.

Interchanges: Jack Welsby, Agnatius Paasi, James Bell, George Delaney.

18th Man: George Whitby.

Tries: Mark Percival (10, 56), Kyle Feldt (20, 59), Tritsan Sailor (23, 62), Owen Dagnall (27), Jonny Lomax (41), Morgan Knowles (49)

Conversions: Kyle Feldt (8 from 9)

Huddersfield Giants Team: George Flanagan, Jacob Gagai, Taane Milne, Jake Bibby, Sam Halsall, Matt Frawley, Kieran Rush, Fenton Rogers, Zac Woolford, Tristan Powell, Harry Rushton, Joe Greenwood, Leroy Cudjoe.

Interchanges: Oliver Wilson, Ashton Golding, Matty English, George King.

18th Man: Connor Carr.

Tries: Joe Greenwood (33)

Conversions: George Flanagan (0 from 1)

Sin Bin: Taane Milne (18)

HT: 24-4

FT: 52-4

Attendance: 9826