Paul Wellens’ side beat West Hull 0-38 on Saturday afternoon to advance to the Last 16 of the Betfred Challenge Cup!

Saints had a good opening four minutes in. After the visitors forced an error, the ball was shifted left as Tristan Sailor threw a cut-out pass to fellow debutant Lewis Murphy but some good cover defence from West Hull forced him into touch short of the try-line.

The Red V continued to apply the pressure. West Hull’s defence proved a tough test to break down early on though, with errors on the line costing Saints in great field position.

Fourteen minutes in, Saints did take the lead. On the back of a penalty, Saints moved the ball right and Sailor threw a cut-out pass to Jon Bennison on the wing to dive over in the corner. George Whitby couldn’t convert from the touchline, 0-4.

West Hull moved forward for their first real attack in the 23rd minute. A good kick in behind the Saints defence on the last tackle was allowed to bounce and Jack Welsby had to clear it for a dropout.

Just before the half-hour mark, Saints had another try. The visitors kept the ball alive down the right edge, Welsby then ran back inside, found Whitby who broke a tackle before diving over underneath the sticks. He added the extras, 0-10 Saints led.

A third try quickly followed. Sailor broke, he found Harry Robertson who scored in the corner. Whitby added another two points, 0-16.

Try number four for the visitors came three minutes later. A high kick wasn’t dealt with by West Hull, as Saints claimed it and offloaded it to the wing where Bennison broke a tackle and dove over in the corner for his second try of the afternoon. Whitby added the extras, 0-22.

In the final minute of the first forty, West Hull tried to make something happen. An early high kick to their right edge in midfield was claimed, but a good tackle from Saints knocked the ball loose. They were made to pay for it, as Saints grabbed a fifth try of the half on the hooter. Whitby found Matt Whitley who strolled over to score under the sticks. Whitby added the extras with the final kick of the half, 0-28 Saints led at the break.

It took just three second half minutes for Saints to score another. Robertson broke whilst returning the ball down the right edge, he found Sailor in support on his inside and he was able to race crossfield and dove over to grab his first Saints try. Whitby added the extras, 0-34.

West Hull tried to grab their first points. A neat move down their left edge saw Elliott Jones put in a kick which Saints pushed behind for a dropout.

Bennison could’ve had a hat-trick. Saints moved the ball through the hands well down the right edge following an offload from Konrad Hurrell. Bennison broke down the wing and found Sailor in support, he offloaded in the tackle back to Bennison but he stepped into touch before scoring.

Saints grabbed their seventh try just before the hour mark. James Bell was held up just short of the sticks and a few tackles later, Saints went down the short side on the left and Bennison found Murphy with a great cut-out pass to grab his first Saints try. Whitby’s conversion attempt landed just short, 0-38.

An eighth could have soon followed. A high kick was contested, debutant Owen Dagnall fumbling the ball in midair before regathering the ball before it hit the ground and stretched out to score. The referee however ruled knock on and ruled out the try.

With six minutes to go, Saints tried to find the debutant again. This time Whitby sent a high, hanging kick to the corner which Dagnall contested for. Ultimately it was Eligh Wilkinson who came down with the ball and was able to escape a dropout too.

Saints had another good chance to add points before the end. Joe Batchelor broke through a gap and threw a pass to Hurrell who had an open field ahead of him, but the ball went to ground and the hosts regathered it.

That was the final action of the afternoon, as Saints progressed to the next round of the Betfred Challenge Cup with a 0-38 victory over West Hull at Sewell Group Craven Park.

Match Summary

West Hull Team: Elliott Jones, Keiran Masike, Tom Verity, Jack Watts, Eligh Wilkinson, Josh Wood, Jack Townend, Oscar Ellerington, Jacob Moore, Josh Jarvis, Kian Goodhand, Ben Arbon, Josh Oliver.

Interchanges: Matty Grant, Louis Crowther, Ryan Wilson, Robbie Jones.

18th Man: AJ Chambers.

Tries: 

Conversions: 

Saints Team: Jack Welsby, Jon Bennison, Harry Robertson, Konrad Hurrell, Lewis Murphy, Tristan Sailor, George Whitby, Jake Wingfield, Jake Burns, George Delaney, Joe Batchelor, Matt Whitley, James Bell.

Interchanges: Noah Stephens, Ben Davies, Owen Dagnall, Alfie Sinclair.

18th Man: Jake Davies.

Tries: Jon Bennison (14, 35), George Whitby (29), Harry Robertson (32), Matt Whitley (40), Tristan Sailor (43), Lewis Murphy (59)

Conversions: George Whitby (5 from 7)

HT: 0-28

FT: 0-38

Saints Line up

1 Jack Welsby
5 Jon Bennison
26 Harry Robertson
3 Konrad Hurrell
20 Lewis Murphy
6 Tristan Sailor
27 George Whitby
18 Jake Wingfield
23 Jake Burns
19 George Delaney
12 Joe Batchelor
16 Matt Whitley
15 James Bell
21 Noah Stephens
22 Ben Davies
30 Owen Dagnall
33 Alfie Sinclair

West Hull Line up

1 Elliott Jones
2 Keiran Masike
3 Tom Verity
4 Jack Watts
5 Eligh Wilkinson
6 Josh Wood
7 Jack Townend
18 Oscar Ellerington
9 Jacob Moore
10 Josh Jarvis
11 Kian Goodhand
12 Benn Arbon
13 Josh Oliver
14 Matty Grant
15 Louis Crowther
16 Ryan Wilson
17 Robbie Jones

Last updated 8 Feb 25 16:28:06

FT

✅ The Saints beat West Hull at Sewell Group Craven Park to progress into the Fourth Round of the Challenge Cup

Full time sponsored by Liverpool John Lennon Airport

77'

West Hull go close, a kick to their right in space is scrambled back onto by Saints to stop a score.

74'

Whitby almost puts Dagnall in from a cross field kick, but credit to the West Hull winger he managed to break the ball and get out of his own try area.

71'

Cagey closing stages here, both sides battling hard.

69'

Hurrell stops a West Hull attack calmly taking a chip kick and stopping it going over.

68'

Saints with West Hull on their own line look to go right, Bennison tries a pat pass but no good, we’re then pulled for an offside.

67'

Off the penalty West Hull move into our half for the first time in a little while. A kick through the middle is taken well by Saints, and the hosts give away an offside penalty.

64'

Uh oh, a flare-up with the teams now, not sure what caused it but James Bell is pulled for a word by the referee.

West Hull penalty.

63'

Oh Dagnall is so close to a dream debut score!

Whitby’s lofted high ball is taken by the outside back but he juggles it in the air and ref judges a knock-on as he reached out to ground it.

59'
Try
Lewis Murphy for Saints

MURPHYYYY! 🌟

Bennison with a cut-out pass to the winger and Lewis goes in!

He celebrates right in front of the Saints fans with passion – love it! 💪

Whitby misses the kick this time.

58'

🔄 Dagnall on, Sailor off.

Let’s go Owen, enjoy your debut!

57'

Saints get it straight back, forcing an error with good defence.

57'

Odd one, Murphy’s judged to have knocked a collected high kick on, perhaps due to it coming off a West Hull head.

53'

Saints almost score a beauty, Hurrell powers off a West Hull man and offloads to Batchelor.

Batch finds Sailor on the right edge, and an in and out almost opens up a score, but Bennison’s foot was in touch.

51'

🔄 Alfie Sinclair is on, looks like Delaney is off for him.

Go well Alfie on your debut!

50'

Whitby jukes around close to the posts, he’s held down at the tackle and we have a penalty given.

48'

Changes by the way from the break:

– Welsby now off
– Robertson to fullback
– Davies to left centre
– Hurrell to right centre

47'

Rare bit of close attack for West Hull on the last on their left edge a small kick to the corner looks dangerous, but we clear it out for a GLDO.

44'
Goal
George Whitby for Saints

Whitby’s fifth two-pointer 🦵

43'
Try
Tristan Sailor for Saints

SAILOR! 🫡

Tristan gets his first Saints score after Robertson wriggled out of a tackle, with still a bit to do his diagonal run sees him force his way over!

40'

Back to it!

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⏸ The Saints lead West Hull in the Third Round of the Challenge Cup.

Half Time – sponsored by Liverpool John Lennon Airport

40'
Goal
George Whitby for Saints

Whitby adds his fourth conversion to close the half

40'
Try
Matt Whitley for Saints

SUPER MATTY 🏎

Support play by Whitley after the hooter, Whitby setting him up and he goes in for a try on the left

37'
Goal
George Whitby for Saints

Another great kick by George from out wide!

35'
Try
Jon Bennison for Saints

A BENNO BRACE 2️⃣

A Welsby bomb is taken well by Sailor, Tristan squeezes away a pass to Jon on the wing, he still had plenty to do and he gets over in the corner!

33'
Goal
George Whitby for Saints

🦵 Whitby adds two more points on from out wide!

32'
Try
Harry Robertson for Saints

A break by Sailor 20m out, a tip pass to Harry and our #26 gets our third!

30'
Goal
George Whitby for Saints

George adds the kick to his try from in front of the sticks.

29'
Try
George Whitby for Saints

WHITBY!

Jack Welsby though take a bow setting that one up, avoiding a number of West Hull men and then feeding a central pass in to Whitby!

27'

Whitby once again by the line tries a small kick, West Hull manage to scramble and get out of dodge.

27'

🔄 Bell off, Stephens on.

26'

Sailor again floats a kick to the right, West Hull collect though.

24'

West Hull now chip towards the try line, Welsby knocks it out for a GLDO.

22'

The Saints 20m out kick in front of the posts, West Hull get a ricochet and steal 10m more before we’re pinged for a penalty.

West Hull with a rare bit of ball in our half.

19'

From the scrum Saints go left, Welsby knocks on. Another let off for West Hull.

18'

Sailor tries a chip to the right wing for Bennison to run onto, he throws it back in and West Hull collect it but are offside.

17'

Great follow up to a Whitby bomb to the corner, the entire right edge take the West Hull man into the in-goal for a GLDO.

16'

Conversion missed by Whitby out wide.

🔰 0-4 😇

14'
Try
Jon Bennison for Saints

BENNO.

A cut-out pass to Bennison from Sailor gets the Saints scoring in the right corner!

12'

Welsby and Whitby both go close, and a short pass to Delaney is knocked on over the line.

10'

Tackle off the ball now, Bell down after it.

10'

Tackle off the ball now, Bell down after it.

9'

Three tackles into their set a strong Delaney tackle forces the Hull side to knock on. Nice Georgey. 💪

8'

A judged high shot now given as the hosts try to get out of their own 20m, the penalty kick will help them.

7'

Bell throws a late pass near the line which we knock on. Let off for West Hull.

6'

Back to back penalties in the West Hull 20m, as Whitby goes close.

4'

Murphy goes for the corner, as he’s tackled tries getting on offload away but no good and he’s in touch.

3'

Couple of errors from both, Saints now with the ball looking to attack.

2'

Good defence by the Saints to start, West Hull held in their own 40m before kicking into our half and Welsby leaves it to run dead.

Kick Off

▶ KICK-OFF! The Saints’ 2025 season is officially underway!

We’re taking on West Hull in the Challenge Cup!

Kick Off

▶ KICK-OFF! The Saints’ 2025 season is officially underway!

We’re taking on West Hull in the Challenge Cup!

It appears almost as if out of nowhere hundreds upon hundreds more supporters have arrived to attend the game.

Safety of entry for all is important, if you’re in the crowd please be patient.

Delay of kick-off has just been announced over the tannoy to 2:15pm.

Plenty of Saints fans have started their day at West Hull’s clubhouse

Wonderful to see!

Plenty of Saints fans have started their day at West Hull’s clubhouse

Wonderful to see!

Super Matty Whitley 🦸‍♂️

Koni surveying the scene.

😇 Your Saints lineup for the Third Round of the Challenge Cup against West Hull!

🔻 𝑮𝑨𝑴𝑬 𝑫𝑨𝒀

🆚 West Hull
🏆 Challenge Cup Third Round
📌 Sewell Group Craven Park
🕑 2pm KO
🎟 Available on the gate
📲 Updates on St.Helens’ Live Match Centre and social channels

🔻 𝑮𝑨𝑴𝑬 𝑫𝑨𝒀

🆚 West Hull
🏆 Challenge Cup Third Round
📌 Sewell Group Craven Park
🕑 2pm KO
🎟 Available on the gate
📲 Updates on St.Helens’ Live Match Centre and social channels