Saturday, September 19, 2009

St Helens 15-2 Huddersfield

St Helens (14) 15
Tries: Puletua, Pryce, Meli Goals: Eastmond Drop: Long
Huddersfield (2) 2
Goals: B Hodgson


Leon Pryce
Pryce's try helped St Helens to a hard-fought victory

St Helens reached the Super League play-off qualifying semi-finals after holding off Huddersfield.

The home side did most of the damage with three tries in the first 20 minutes through Tony Puletua, Leon Pryce and Francis Meli.

Huddersfield tried hard to get back into it but could find no way of breaching the Saints defence.

Sean Long's drop goal sealed the win as Saints bid to reach a fourth successive Grand Final appearance.

Huddersfield will now face another chance to advance when they play in next weekend's preliminary semi-finals.

Saints came into the game on the back of four defeats in their last five matches but they were given the perfect start when Puletua intercepted a Liam Fulton pass to power over from 20 metres out after only two minutes.

Although Brett Hodgson got his side on the scoreboard with a penalty, Saints extended their lead on 13 minutes when a trademark Pryce jinking run got him over the line.

606: DEBATE
HTPR

Huddersfield struggled to make an impact on the game and it was no surprise when Kyle Eastmond got winger Meli over at the corner and although Eastmond converted just one of the tries, the home side were in control.

Eorl Crabtree came close to scoring his first goal of the season after being set up by Hodgson but Saints full-back Paul Wellens produced a last-gasp tackle to deny him while Giants centre Stephen Wild lost the ball with the line at his mercy.

Saints thought they had scored again in the second half when right winger Ade Gardner was first to Sean Long's kick to the corner but slow-motion replays revealed a knock-on and Long's drop goal was the only score of the last hour of the game.


St Helens: Wellens, Gardner, Gidley, Eastmond, Meli, Pryce, Long, Graham, Cunningham, Puletua, Flannery, Wilkin, Gilmour. Replacements: Roby, Hargreaves, Clough, Fa'asavalu.

Huddersfield: Cudjoe, Aspinwall, Lawrence, Finnigan, D. Hodgson, B. Hodgson, Robinson, Sculthorpe, Fulton, P. Jackson, Wild, Raleigh, Whaturia. Replacements: Crabtree, D. Griffin, Lunt, Patrick.

Referee: R Silverwood (Dewsbury)

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